Thank f**k it's over. All I have to do now is not gag while Marvel continues to try to push the fascist Captain Marvel down our throats, calling her the most popular character in the universe, paying no attention to the reality that this series made her the most hated. Yecchh. Terrible.

This is a terrible comic. Trite storytelling and substandard art.

I was shocked and disappointed when I first heard Bendis was leaving Marvel (my faith even surviving "Civil War II), but after his farewell tour, I'm kind of like...thank fuck. This issue is woeful. It's like Bendis just sweeps all his post Civil War II Iron Man work away in an issue that substitutes solid storytelling with an absolute fuckload of exposition via dialogue. Riri and Victor have been the subject of some great comics in the last year or so, but she is nowhere to be found and Victor has the entire post-Secret War slate supposedly reversed. And, and Rhodey is alive again, because exactly no one was clamouring for his return, but, back to square one. I think I'm so turned off by this horseshit that I am considering skipping out on Slott's Iron Man relaunch. If you enjoy comics that are good and make sense, please do not read this.

So...Cyclops died over a cloud? For not allowing potential inhumans to gestate? Life begins at cloud particle formulation. But wait, he's been dead all along...because Marvel could not stand to allow him to go out heroically? I also don't understand how any of this made Cyclops a pariah amongst the rest of the mutants. I can't believe a writer as good as Lemire is responsible for this garbage fire. Marvel has really shit the bed with their handling of the X-Men and Inhumans post-Secret Wars...I hate both these teams now

This series, which started so well, is tanking. Hard. The moment in which...Synapse? Is that his name? Takes over Magneto, who conveniently takes off his helmet to allow psychic attacks, and then begs of to go to the bathroom is...stupid. Just stupid. These nuhumans are not appealing characters at all. They are not memorable, with gimmicky names and powers. I don't care about them. The tide shifts here in favour of the Inhumans because this has to be six issues. The art is frustratingly hack-ish for an event like this. I understand Leinil Yu couldn't keep up to keep this coming out, but...it's bad. And, I shouldn't be surprised by this at this point, but the writing is just as bad. Jeff Lemire is one of the best writers in comics, and I can't believe he is associated with this mess. Charles Soule...ughh. And Ms. Marvel again asks, "Who are the bad guys?" in a bad flashback to Civil War II. The Inhumans! Obviously! I'm looking forward to Resurrexion, but the whole creative team is shitting the bed with this series. It's just a pointless, bad comic.

Terrible. Pointless filler. Please, Marvel, stay away from "celebrity" guest-stars. The most painful thing is that it doesn't end; there is another issue of this nonsense.

This comic, and the premise behind it, are fucking stupid. Matt's thinking that having heroes testify in court will stop crime is ridiculous, as is the idea of someone anonymously testifying in a uniform. The idea of having Matt prove he's Daredevil for the court is a dumb gimmick. The defence attorney is a cliche, as are all the other courtroom players. The Sudzuka art is average at best. I am thinking I need to just drop this title and come around when Charles Soule is gone. I hated this.

Poor Nico Leon, having to waste his awesome art on this nothing story. Civil War II has destroyed this series. Total filler. And the cover is a sham. Where's Venom? Where's Spider-Man for that matter? What a waste of time.

I started this, convinced I wasn't going to like it, briefly thought "Well, it could be OK, this seems fun," but by the finish couldn't wait for it to end...

Exposition! Filling in gaps! Characters acting against type! Heavy-handedness! Shitty, substandard art! It's "Steve Rogers: Captain America," the title that always leaves me with the question, why the fuck am I reading this?

I dropped this title after the first arc, but not fast enough to avoid getting this one, so, yeah. The story was kind of annoying. Thanks for the meaningless Hellcat visit. Jen herself has outworn her welcome for me. And the guy makes the toxic (or whatever) cake after his boyfriend watches some dude pour green stuff out on the ingredients, so...this comic has wasted my time for the last time and I don't really like Jen Walters anymore and I'm not reading this lame nothing-ever-happens book again.

Umm...Part 7 in this endlessly boring tale of "where is Tony Stark?" I'm waiting for the 2020 sequel, "Tony Stark is Missing Again: Dare You Give a Fuck?" I don't really care about this at all. It's kind of crummy to see the two Bendis' titles on Victor and Riri succumb to this...boringness? I'm even thinking of opting out of the new Dan Slott Iron Man title, because...enough of this guy. Which is a weird way to think when he actually hasn't been here for a year. Except, oh yeah, his a.i. self was here, so it was like he was never gone...And then Leonardo! Fuck off, Bendis. Yeah, I didn't like it.

So many monsters. So...meh. This is all-action, and it's all-boring.

Well, it's over. Utterly pointless. This kind of mindless action was fun for me for exactly one issue, when my sensibilities were bludgeoned by the heavy handedness of "Civil War II," and silly action seemed welcome. Then each further issue continued to grate more and more on my nerves. If I was seven years old again perhaps I would have liked this series. And the art was stellar throughout. And Marvel kept it so on schedule, by the time I decided to drop it the issues had been pre-ordered for me. So there's that...

The art is interesting, if uneven, but the exposition-filled story didn't grip me enough to follow this to issue 2

This title has largely been a disappointment. I don't care about Peter's sister-or-whatever; the Vulture just smacks of weak villainy here, despite his big screen badassednes; the art is, frankly, average at best; the writing is all over the place, and most important, not really funny. I was expecting much more of Zdarsky, and am on the verge of dropping this. Maybe this will turn into something soon, or eventually, but I don't know if I'll still be aboard by that point.

This series was a dud. In a weird way it doesn't even seem like there a big stakes here, as I guess the big thing in this series is Miles coming to terms with his identity. And the ending, pencilled by Mark Bagely, made me cringe a bit (due to both the content and Bagley's art). Even the Sarah Pichelli art in this issue seems below her usual standards. Not recommended.

The art in this issue is just not for me--I like cartoony artwork at times, but this looked like stills from a cartoon from the 70s. It totally threw me off, and there was not enough there with the story to keep me hanging on. This series is listing a bit.

Pointless throwaway issue that has me on the verge of dropping this title. I want to like it, but a 2 part Jeremy Linn team-up? Brutal.

This attempted parody of right wrongheadedness and leftist extremism is overly simplistic and silly. The art is pedestrian The colouring is an orange-tinged muck. This is not a good comic.

This book was frustrating, an issue as comatose as Tony Stark himself. It is an endless series of talking heads, but nothing being said is original or relevatory. It again features blind stubbornness from Captain Marvel, and Miles Morales' Spider-Man lurking around lamenting the future. I don't know why I expected different. This has me feeling trepidatious for "Secret Empire," mostly because it is just boring, and none of these characters are likeable. The vision that closes the book was undeniably cool and haunting, but nothing about this issue suggests that this event won't be as desperately mired in self-absorbed contemplation, and contemplation that comes to no end, as "Civil War II" was.

Liked the first "Ether," but this bored me. Didn't like this elf sidekick. Didn't want to finish it. Dropped.

Bendis fails badly in the lacklustre #12 issue that has been, until now, a deeply fascinating title. The story that gained momentum over the first near-dozen issues crumbles at the end, with a rip-off quick ending that wraps up the necessary plot lines in a cheap and unsatisfying "Mephisto did it all!" Ending. The breaking of the 4th wall by Mephisto was beyond belief dumb. An interesting series that shits the bed at the end.

After a terrible 4th issue, "IvX" rebounds somewhat here; it is also a wildly inconsistent book, with hideous dialogue. Fantomex and Karnak argue about boring each other. Havoc talks about how Medusa destroyed his brothers reputation, then shrugs and says, basically, "Sure, take Black Bolt. After all, where can you go?" Sigh. Cyclops turns on the mutants, for a good cause and blah blah blah. They Inhumans, after acting like assholes for the past year+ say "We're not monsters!" Javi Garron's art continues to underwhelm. This is a colour-by-numbers "event" comic. On a more positive note, there's only one more issue of this shit.

In the end, "Loose Ends" isn't for me. It was messy, confusing and the dialogue is cringe-worthy ("Face like a plate full of assholes"). I like noir, but this failed for me.

I was shockingly disappointed in this issue. The story seemed bland, but the most egregious thing about this comic is the change in the art team. Never has a style of art so ill suited a book's general tone and identity. I disliked the cartoony, seemingly rushed art so much I'm not sure if the story is even really that bad--all I could focus on was how much I disliked the art. I really liked the first three issues, but if Tommy Lee Edwards is done with this book, then so am I.

Filler issue with a misleading cover. Does nothing to address the rift between Bruno and Kamala. When it comes to solo Bruno tales, I just don't care.

It seems after all this Wanda's mother is gone, leaving many secrets behind; I'm not sure if this isn't a bit of a cheat. What truly dragged this issue down, however, was the art, which was shockingly sub-standard for a Marvel comic.

The final few pages of the issue are interesting and seem relevant… The rest is more of Bendis repeating a scene we've already seen done in another comic...Except for the final pages this is a frustrating waste of time… please please please let this put the god awful disaster that was Civil War II to bed

This series continues to sputter with this new Sinister Six plot, which is leaving me questioning how much I need to be reading this book. The opening with Ganke (Ned?) and his new girlfriend was interesting and funny, but the rest was just a bore, with tedious dialogue I had struggle not to just skim. And, sorry, these Patrick Brown covers are as gaudy as shit. Skip this.

I like Chris Bachalo's art, but I found this hard to get through. The art looked pretty good, but it terms of storytelling, was kind of confusing. Storewise, lots of wacky stuff happening, but I just found it boring. Sorry.

Ugh. After the strong start this series had with the "Screaming Citadel" one-shot, it ends with me just being thankful it's over and wondering if I need to keep buying the Star Wars titles. To call these titles inconsistent would be doing them credit. Here, Broccardo's cartoony style just doesn't fit, and I was just frankly bored by the story, uninterested in its villains, uninterested by the Aphra/Sana Solo relationship, and just wanted it to end.

The art was a giant step down. Without Will Robson, I was left asking, "Why am I reading this?" The story did not do much for me.

It was pretty much at the same point of "The Ultimates" run about a year ago that "Civil War II" took over the events of the comic, after a great first arc, and it remained mired in that event until it finished its run at #12. Let's hope it doesn't last so long this time, because "Secret Empire" has invaded "Ultimates 2" and delivered a pretty underwhelming issue. It's basically Carol and her corp fighting the CHitauri, who all die when they hit the shield once they get past this defense force (so what's the point?). The art is raw and might be suited to an independent project or something, but it is pretty jarring (in the worst sense of the word) here. All in all, it's pretty depressing to see what was going on in this book sacrificed to fill in the blanks of the latest spectacle. Shitty.

Nothing much of consequence happens in this exposition-heavy issue; it's not a bad comic, but "The Clone Conspiracy" seems to have turned "Amazing" into a series of back-up tales during its duration.

Echhh. Why does this issue exist? To see that Ben Reilly escapes with his life? They could have done that in his own soon-to-launch title (which I will buy when clones roam the earth in real life). I liked the event proper, but the "Amazing" tie-ins were hit and miss, and I look forward to new things next month (Immonen!)

Not terrible, but of no consequence. If Marvel is going to continue to publish these antiquated editions, they would be better served to make them significant somehow, not just a collection of throwaway back up tales.

"Astonishing X-Men" is my lone X-title after I dropped "Blue" and "Gold," and it has been surprisingly good. But this issue is a dud. It is all talk. The reborn Xavier, annoyingly dubbed "X," is kind of not working for me, and, curiously, he is smirking evilly like a super villain in the first few pages, which is weirdly distracting. I guess the art overall was distracting in that it was not good. At all. The rotating cast of artists offers us a chance to see various stars every month, but Siquiera's figures are stiff and dull...this is kind of IDW quality stuff. Hopefully this thing can turn itself around next month.

Yeah, sorry, I don't know what the fuck is going on here. Sorry Brian K. Vaughan, I need to understand the dialogue in my comics. I get that by making the audience illiterate in a certain language it puts us in the place of the characters. And I guess there is a theme emerging of understanding humanity beyond simple language barriers? If so, that's too simple, and this is too frustrating to read. And, to really get to the nitty gritty, Marcos Martin's work on "Private Eye" was better than this. So, yup, it was okay, but ultimately disappointing.

This title continues to be wildly inconsistent. This arc had some strong points but the final chapter here is underwhelming. It seems like it's trying to carry itself with a depth and weight that's not really registering for me. I loved his work on "Omega Men," "Vision," and " Sheriff of Babylon," so I am rather surprised to find Tom King's "Batman" to be merely okay.

Uhhh, I don't know what's going on here exactly, but I know I hate Booster Gold...I haven't read this guy since I was a kid, but I am unimpressed...no more alternate realities please...the ending was sort of a thing, I guess? Alright. When is this Booster Gold thing done again?

After a pretty great run with "Scarlet Witch," and a very solid start to "Nick Fury," I was looking forward to this, but it falls pretty flat. The action didn't really move me, and there wasn't much beside that. Pacheco's pencils were okay, but not as strong as I recalled. Overall, pretty "meh."

After last issue's heavy events, a change of pace is due--it's just not that interesting or funny

I have been fascinated by the idea of a Hydra-agent Cap moreso than the actual execution of the idea. It seems to have led to a lot of issues in which we get to see characters gathered...to talk. And talk. Occasionally captivating, all too often boring. I feel that Spencer is a bit too in love with having his characters debate, give speeches, and converse. This is not all bad, of course, except that there is no action to offer a reprieve from it. And the art here was pretty substandard. Jesus Saiz' name is on it, but I can't see anything here that looks like his art. Disappointing issue.

A not-quite but sorta terrible issue. Steve goes full-fascist, grimacing and pounding his fist in a speech warning all others they shall fall in Hydra's wake if they do not comply. I thought it was a bit over-done. I did like the appearance from Black Panther, which provided the highlight of the issue. I don't think Steve has been characterized consistently over this event, sometimes earnestly wishing the world would see the truth he knows in some, sometimes a finger-wagging, overblown tyrant, like here. The art rose a bit above the wretched levels of the last couple of issues at least. So, yeah, it only kinda sucked.

Ehh. I didn't really like this issue. No real depth or insight on Matt from Charles Soule here. Maybe the whole thing was marred for me by the art, which was pedestrian at best. Where's Ron Garney? It's not terrible, but it's mediocre.

No, this isn't a good comic, but it is amusing in a peculiar kind of way. We continue in this issue with a lot of Kubert's imitation Dark Knight Miller art, and it's okay, I guess...? The mini-comic is a showcase on how rough actual Frank Miller art has become, but, it, er, features the return of Bruno, a.k.a. Nazi-tits? I can't say don't buy this because I laid down $5.99 for every issue so far and will do so again for the finale. So, there you go...

Well, I do not know what the fuck that was, but i am perplexed by "Deadman" #1. The art is as-advertised Neal Adams, but the plot was incomprehensible. That being said, I'll be back for issue #2. It is Neal Adams, after all. Note: I've adjusted my score from 5.0 to 6.0 (after about a week) because the more I think about it, the more I am actually looking forward to the next issue, as much of a mess as this is.

I don't know...I don't think this series is for me. It reads as too didactic to me. The conversation between Snugglepuss and Huckleberry Hound is sort of interesting, but none of this has the cleverness of Russell's "Flintstones" or "God is Disappointed in You." I need something more to make this bit of moralizing palatable.

Yeah, I dunno, I don't wanna hate, but, I didn't really like this...I didn't really dislike it either, I just am not very into it. There's too much going on for me to care about much of it. But Porter's art was pretty good.

Sorry. I was bored. i went from reading to skimming half way through. I loved the "All-New, All-Different Guardians of the Galaxy," but, this didn't really work for me.

Well, Jen finally hulks out, and it's pretty underwhelming. I've enjoyed Nico Leon's art in this series, but it seems pretty bare and rushed in the fight scene. After all this slow build up, this barely feels like a resolution, as, well, nothing is really resolved. Maise goes to jail. Whatever. I gave this six issues, but the fascination it held for me in the beginning has turned to impatience. I'm dropping this book.

This issue is not good. The first few pages are beautiful to look at, but very little of interest happens here. Doom falls to the Wrecking Crew, who seem to me like goons who are not at Doom's level. And Riri is going to get her armour back. And Tony is still missing! The thrills never end...

Well, this issue was a bit shaky for me. The fight in the alley between Felix and his ex-love Russian spy was a bit awkward (i.e., why is Felix blinded? how does she disappear?) I found the art to be so-so. One panel (the shot of the bridge) in particular looks like the most blatant example of photoshopping I've ever seen. Also, not much comes out of the characterization of Felix except he's beaten down. I'm not too sold on this version of Felix.

Progress made in the first two issues falls off a cliff here. This issue goes nowhere, failing to advance the plot in any way. And it's boring.

So Jessica fucked up her life and her marriage and custody of her child to help stupid Carol Danvers with her stupid plan to nail Alison Greene, so Bendis can have her be right about everything in "Civil War II" because Marvel has to continue shoving her down our throats? I don't think I've had such a love/hate relationship with a comic like this before. Just when an amazing issue pops up, Bendis shits the bed in the next issue.

The humour in this issue fell flat for me. This storyline, in fact, is falling flat. These villains, the support group...ehh. Bludhaven is a silly place.

I feel hesitant to give this too poor a mark, because there was some okay things here, like some of Belanger's art, but I was utterly lost, and the shit going kept getting weirder and weirder, leading into a direction with the ending that doesn't really interest me. I'm out.

This is, by all standards, a disappointing comic. To call the new Sinister Six underwhelming would be an understatement--the jokey nature of this crew paints them as, well...a lame bunch of b-listers. Too much of this issue is their (boring) scheming. But nothing much happens after we switch to see Miles' goings on, either. This seems to be Bendis phoning it in--I have really liked his work, but this issue just tastes stale. Also, enough with the terrible Patrick Brown covers...they are beyond gaudy.

Mercifully the last chapter in an arc that has been uneven, at best. This story was just silly (Han/Leia racing across the destroyer; floating outside it in space with only flimsy masks as protection). More disturbing to me, though, is Marvel allowing such substandard art in its bestselling title. The return to Ben Kenobi's journal and Salvador Latricia art next issue are sorely needed for this flagging book.

Underwhelming final issue in this Yoda-centric arc. Pretty anti-climactic. I've liked Salvador Larroca's art in this run, but this issue featured some of the most egregious use of photo-shopping I've ever seen in a comic. There are a couple of panels where Luke's face looks pasted on. Not good.

Too much Jon and Damian for me; Jon is wearing thin with his "Aw, shucks, Dad," characterization and Damian is just a jerk. This iteration of Superman and Batman don't seem to have the background relationship to justify why they are doing all this. This depiction of Batman doesn't fit the tone DC has going with him in any other book. I felt like I was reading a 1960s DC comic--in a bad way. This is not for me.

As a fan of some of Chaykin's work ("Satellite Sam," though that was written by Matt Fraction) I thought to check this out; it's not necessarily a bad comic--it does make a forceful impact on the reader, as I'm sure was the intent. What it is, however, is a bit too brutal and nihilistic for me to really want to collect. His dystopian vision of the United States promises to be dark, bleak, and sure, timely, but it's not for me. Now, I think people railing on "Secret Empire" for its dark vision is a bit silly, so maybe I'm being hypocritical here, but I entrust that truth and justice will prevail there; this is ugly and cynical in a profound way. Chayken admits his usual cheeky humour is missing here. Too true. I am not going any further with this.

While I'm enjoying the main event (well...mainly), this "Secret Empire" crossover clearly illustrates why event crossovers so often suck. It's just a fight against a black bubble and (yet another) portal opened to let in nameless, bland creatures. Jacinto's art is strong, but it's wasted on this boring, meaningless battle issue. I thought I was done with "Monsters Unleashed."

I'm out.

Underwhelming issue as Dilton Doily Black Mirrors Riverdale high with an app with which they harshly judge each other on superficialities. A couple of chuckles, but...eh.

I've more or less enjoyed this series, even after dropping "Blue" and "Gold," and have been excited about the return of Xavier. But instead of Xavier, we have his new incarnation as "X," who is ... meh. I dunno. I want OG Xavier. The art was pretty solid. Lots of splash pages conceal the lack of story, though. Not great. I guess I'll try the new direction the book takes next issue, but this book is on thin ice for me.

Not bad, but not necessary, by any definition. The monster battle repeats scenes and dialogue I read in "Monsters Unleashed" #1. I'll be skipping the rest of the tie-ins.

I'm not really into this series, or this team, so far. The story seems surprisingly flat from Aaron, who doesn't seem to have the handle on making each character of the team stand out. I guess I am also tired of these team books with enormous stakes all the time, especially since we're coming off a 16 issue space extravaganza. I liked that book more than this one. One other thing that irked me is this iteration of She-Hulk, or just Hulk now...her personality and humour was always the best thing about her, but now she's Hulk-dumb. I dunno. It's not terrible, certainly a solid book, but I don't think it stands out in any way.

This issue is a stand-off between angry gun Bruce Wayne trying to prevent the death of his parents, but really descends into an endless skit with Booster Gold being...uh...funny?...well something like that. And we get a bit of the suicide riff King keeps revisiting here to make it more tedious. This sounds like I'm a King-basher--quite the opposite, I've enjoyed his Batman run, in general, more than Snyder's. It's just that Tony Daniels can't stand with some of the other artists we've been getting on this title anymore, and Booster's presence makes this King's weakest arc. But I'm excited for the wedding, regardless of this kind of lame-duck story.

Ehhh. After 3 issues, I suppose we get some kind of direction on what this story will be about, with the war or whatever, but not enough for me. It looks pretty good, but I just am not feeling the story. The narrative isn't giving me enough. The more I read of Jason Latour's writing, the more I am convinced it's just not for me. I love his art on "Southern Bastards," but this is just confusing me and not paying off for me.

I have the last few issues of "Cable" in various piles around my house, and rather than hunt them down, I just read #5 on its own. It was mild fun. The art seems like a throwback to generic Marvel art of the 80s...not good, not bad, but solid. While I enjoyed a few moments (Cable enlists the support of dinosaurs!), I can't help but think a series featuring Cable should be more bad-assed.

This issue was interesting, but ultimately fails to deliver, unless the purpose is to get me to grow more annoyed by Maria Hill. Her closing argument/presentation/blackmail attempt (?) stretched credulity to the point of seeming a parody (as anything referencing the building of a wall must now seem). At least this leads to the verdict which is...oh, yeah. Okay. No verdict. Right. This is a step back.

It's not bad. It's fine. The art isn't terrible. It's passable. I'm just tired of endless set-up and want the goddam story to begin already. So, there you go.

Well, I read "Secret Empire" #0 first, so...whatever. Now that the event is started, can we finally be done with the fucking flashbacks of young Hydra Steve? I wonder if I need to even keep buying this in the midst of "Secret Empire." I have decided that I don't need to know anything the main title doesn't tell me.

This series is going south for me a bit. I honestly found this issue pretty annoying as the group gets upset over someone cashing in their brand, casting them as sell-outs. It seems...I don't know, trivial? Stupid? I like this group, and moments like Amadeus and Scott, but I still find the characterization of Kamala to be off here. In her own book, she is mature and thoughtful, in this book she has no control over her emotions and is just kind of annoying. Hopefully we can move on to something a bit more significant than the Champions image control.

Meh. Spoiler solo story isn't very interesting, with her monologue growing quite tedious for me as the issue went on. I get it, you hate heroes. So act as a hero in disguise, because that makes sense. The art was also rather mediocre. So, yeah.

This is a really great looking book. Jesus Saiz' work on "Steve Rogers Captain America" was pretty great, and this painted style is really cool. The first few pages are exciting, as Stephen does some cool magic, and then....ehhh. It seems as if Mark Waid (or the editors) failed to read Jason Aaron's run, because he's lost the magic once again. Add in a heavy handed narration from Waid chronicling the magic-free life of Strange, and this issue really loses its way. Perhaps its greatest offence is how boring it is. Maybe Mark Waid is stretching himself thin writing, I don't know, 5-6 books, but this is really uninspiring.

I dunno. For all that was going on, I was bored and struggled to finish the issue. I don't think this book is necessarily bad, I just think it's not for me.

I kind of found this bloodletting issue to be a bore, and for the first time since the debut issue, I felt the art did not really fit what was going on--or else the tone just did not work for me. What has me excited is Jeff Lemire (cool!) and Eduardo Risso (holy fuck!) taking over next issue...this I am down with...

This series has been pretty damn good, but this issue is a disappointment. It's basically a space/time-filler before the Legacy relaunch next month, and it reads like filler. The women of Tony's life gather to discover he's not a total asshole after all! I found the multiple artists here jarring--they really took me out of the book. When your regular artist is Stefano Caselli, any drop in quality is shocking. There are a few pages of anime style big eyes near the end and I was like, "Nope. No no no." This is probably just a blip in the quality radar, but there's nothing that will be missed from skipping this issue.

"The Search for Tony Stark" is a dud. At this point, I don't really give a fuck where Tony is, I know he'll be back for his relaunched title in a couple months. So we get to watch Victor being bested by a host of clownish b-villains, and Riri make friends, and it looks nice, but man, Bendis' Iron Man story is flaming out. Wasted potential from what was a really intriguing storyline a few months ago.

This issue is a bit of a holding pattern. Forge's machine to destroy the Terrigen cloud is destroyed, and the Inhumans continue to rally. Outside of the interesting Jean Grey/Karnak scene, not much excites here. And the artwork is sub-par, with awkward poses and faces. I understand that Lionel Yu couldn't continue to draw this and have it stay on schedule, but choosing a back up artist who is in the same ballpark would have helped. This series started great, but it's starting to lag pretty hard.

This issue, like the series, is wildly inconsistent. On the positive side, Lionil Yu returns and the book looks great. I also enjoyed Emma Frost's turn toward's more complete villainy, even if I sympathized with her. On the other hand, Medusa is told that the X-Men only attacked because the terrigen cloud was killing them, and she was like, "Why didn't they tell me?" Didn't Beast tell her this in the first fucking issue? So after 7 issues (including #0) the conflict is wrapped up in minutes. The dialogue was also quite often terrible; Psylocke tells Medusa, "I've got a sword. You can't beat me with hair!" and Medusa responds, "Wanna bet?" Ehhh. So, my overall thoughts on the series are: 1) Well, that happened. 2) Couldn't this story have been told in two issues? 3) I appreciate the need to use back-up artists to stick to the schedule, but when there is such a drop in quality between the primary artist and his replacement, it is not good. 4) Now that it's done, I'm so glad to have the Inhumans out of my life.

This issue started alright, but proved frustrating. I really enjoyed Luke's talk with Misty Knight in the opening pages. What I did not like is Captain Marvel showing up, dragging Jessica into the bullshit fallout from Civil War II. And it seems this Allison woman she falsely accused in Civil War II has become a villain, because Ullyses. And Carol selfishly asked Jessica to sacrifice her marriage and family to go undercover. And Jessica agreed, for some reason. Ugh. I really liked how this series started, but the direction it has gone in the last two issues has left me just annoyed.

I've never read an extended Justice League run because somehow the book has never captured or captivated me enough to keep me coming back. However with this relaunch I thought I'd try it again, but, looking at the Justice League assembled in the psychic boardroom did not get me. I just was kind of bored here, and the heavy-handed narration is just a further reminder that Scott Snyder's style has evolved into something I don't really like reading. The Jim Cheung art is rougher than usual, but still pretty awesome. But he's gone next issue, and so am I. I don't care enough about anything going on here to read issue #2.

This is a fairly lacklustre comic, totally lacking the charm that made "Power Man and Iron Fist" so fun. I know Walker is going for a different tone here, but I just didn't find it that interesting. Also, the pencils of Nelson Blake are pretty pedestrian. I think I'm going to wait until "The Defenders" to check back on Luke.

This is a terribly paced, plodding storyline, and I am not even sure what's going on because it seems Azzarello is giving us plot scraps rather than anything coherent. The issue ended well, but I'm still lost. I loved "100 Bullets," but this series has been seriously underwhelming. Rizzo's art is great, but I have taken to think of reading this as a chore when I see it in my pile, which can't be good.

Ehhhhhh....

This series kind of ends with a "meh." It's probably because I enjoyed the first couple of issues so much, and thought there were a lot of interesting places the series could go, but Millar kind of switched over to fantasy by rote. This issue is entirely predictable; there was never a sense of dread from the "black messiah" with his constant warnings of "You will die!" He really becomes a cliche. The art is, of course, really good, but this series seems like it just settled into mediocrity. It ends with "End of Book One." I don't think I'll bother with Book Two.

Goddammit. I want to like this...I'm not Marvel hater, I collect more than three times as many Marvel titles than DC, because I just like their characters more...I disagree with all those who say there is nothing of quality coming from the company any more. But this was frustrating. It was cold, sterile. Hydra-like I guess. It just seemed unexciting, despite the high stakes. I suppose that's not all Spencer's fault. I'm just not moved by scenes where the entirety of the Marvel universe engages in battle all at once, because these are essentially boring scenes. And, for whatthefuck moments: either Tony Stark is back from the coma or his AI has eyes and vengeful looks...and, when the Avengers assemble, is that the original Hulk jumping with the team?! It's not Amadeus Cho, because he's pictured with the Champions in the following panel. He's not red hulk. Fuck, man, these are continuity basics. And the Defenders are a team, as of now I guess? It looked good. And I'm going to buy the rest of it, because I need to know (or am a twisted masochist)...It'll pick up. It'll have awesome art by Yu and Sorrentino and McNiven. It can't be as bad as "Civil War II," right? Right?

I usually love every instalment of this series, but I didn't like this one, with the little sex trolls. Kind of stupid.

I liked Robbi Rodriguez' art for the most part, but this felt a bit underwhelming. I don't know what the deal is with the power-ups, and the superhero with limited powers thing seems kind of played out. I added this to my reading list because I enjoyed issue 13, and in anticipation of her team up with Miles next issue, but on its own this did not really captivate me.

This issue was a disappointment. I loved the last part in "Spider-Man," but this really goes nowhere with an unwelcome appearance by the ubiquitous Ms. Marvel, who I really feel Marvel is overusing to the point of making her seem tedious. I also felt the Miles/Gwen connection didn't work nearly as well here. Also, the jokes and the dialogue fell flat for me. I think we're facing a situation where the Bendis issues of this crossover are excellent, and the Latour issues are...ehhhh.

Bendis' run on Miles Morales' "Spider-Man" seems to be ending with a whimper as opposed to a bang. This Sinister Six, possibly the most dull collection of villains ever, continue to...uh, steal stuff, and then the Champions come, and...I was pretty bored. The drama between Miles and his Uncle is not really interesting, largely because there is nothing special about his Iron Spider. If you asked me to summarize this plot, I'm thinking I might have trouble locating key points to highlight. Nothing much is happening here. Move along.

Keiran Gillen's "Darth Vader" was so good, this series has a lot to live up to. It makes itself its own thing by exploring rookie Vader, but....I didn't really care too much for this. I mean, it wasn't bad, but it didn't have the coolness or badassedness of its former iteration. I also thought Camuncoli's pencils would work better than they did. I'll try issue #2, but I'm not really sold here.

Not great. Perhaps this isn't the fault of Soule or the book (certainly not Camuncoli, who draws Vader well), but I am not really interested in seeing the jedi lore of the prequels expanded further upon. Also, cool as he is, Vader is a tough character to hold down a solo book. Keiran Gillen developed a strong supporting cast in the first series to balance a character who seldom speaks and for whom an inner narration would be almost absurd, something missing here, as we have to have Storm Trooper banter guide the story. I'm just not feeling it.

This is alright I guess...I'm not even sure why I added this to my pull list...I think because I recognized Bret Blevins name from X-Men books in the 90s. It's just not really noteworthy. I read it about an hour ago and I already kind of forget what happened...I think I'm out

Didn't really care for this. Too many small panels with lots dialogue to go with the fighting. Wasn't effectively done in my opinion. Though there is a possessed cow smoking a cigarette, so...that's cool.

A kind of trite one-off focussing on Jon and Superman's relationship. I liked it enough, though its pretty inconsequential. Not really good, not really bad.

Nothing really bad here, except Damian being Damian. Being stubborn. Then learning. Then growing. To no doubt act stubborn and stupid again the next time the plot demands it. The other Teen Titans haven't really done anything to distinguish themselves in this series either. Maybe if I had a background with these characters I would feel differently, but I just don't care enough about them to continue past this arc. Oh, and Ra's al Ghul is a punk here. That was bad.

This isn't bad, but it isn't very interesting either. "Man of Steel" is kind of falling flat for me. The villain (Rogor Zaar) is kind of a dud, and, despite Bendis' arrival, there doesn't seem to be much of a point for this series. It's like just another Superman story, not something really warranting a mini-series delivered weekly. It's pretty flat.

The end of this arc pales in comparison to the early issues that opened it, as it feels all too much a rushed and pat conclusion. This book is not bad. It's just average.

This wasn't a bad comic book, but nothing about this team stands out for me. I will check out the next issue, but this is on shaky ground.

This is pretty run-of-the-mill mutant stuff; not terrible, but not interesting either. Now, leading into a crossover with "Totally Awesome Hulk," I'm bailing out on this series.

This is the conclusion to a first arc that was pretty much mutants-by-numbers storytelling, with average art and a lack of compelling opponents. It's not terrible, but it's not anything more than mediocre. The only really interesting scene is the final one. The line-up is strong, but I have questions about Marc Guggenheim's ability to make these characters stand out. I'm going to see if this improves when the new art team shakes out, but so far it's a distant second to "X-Men Blue" in terms of telling compelling mutant tales.

Big battle issue, with random other Marvel heroes appearing in fight scenes. Rachel confronting her dead parents in her head. I wasn't as interested in her internal struggle as the author would like. She's not really a strong enough character to carry the issue. Other than a fleeting moment with Storm and Gambit, there's not much here.

I've got a pile of unread copies of "X-Men Gold" and "X-Men Blue" here, having a hard time staying on top of the relentless X-schedule. I haven't read since #4 or #5...? Anyway, I cut in with this issue, and it was...okay. It was okay. The Mojo bits were amusing, but having just finished reading it, I can't think of much that stood out, storewise. The Mike Matthew art looks good at times, other times pretty dicey. It kind of feels like someone attempting copy the vibe of X-Men books from the 90s rather than writing organic stories, which I guess is what it really is. So, yeah.

Oh, Marvel. Keep being you. This contains a pretty strong main story, with truly amazing art by Stuart Immonen, and an interesting final page story that falls out of Clone Conspiracy. These were well-done. Anyway, the rest of the issue is filled with throwaways that I only half read because they were nonsense. Well, the Hannah Blumenrieich one was charming. However, something about Marvel's unmitigated greed in releasing a 10 dollar comic, and Peter's complaining about life as a billionaire doesn't sit right.

I felt this was a pretty so-so issue. The fallout of Parker's collapse continues, but the Clash threat is a minor (and uninteresting) threat, and I've gotten my fill of Spidey/Torch hanging out in "Spectacular Spider-Man," and nothing new is added here. With the exception of the amazing art, a disappointing issue.

I liked the intro special, but this sags a bit, focusing on the gang led by Felicia, the group of which I am growing quite bored. I am also not brushed up enough on my symbiotes...how many are we dealing with here? I dunno. The art was strong, but this event has hit a snag in issue 2.

When I picked this up, I was like, "Ugh, I don't want to read this." Such is the quality of most Marvel annuals that it is only natural to assume this would be shitty. But, it's not terrible! The first story actually kept me interested enough to finish, and though it's pretty run-of-the-mill, it's innocuous enough, and I liked Cory Smith's art. The second story featured a version of the spider-sense as a series of headaches varied by degree, which is inconsistent with every other depiction of Spidey I've seen or read ever, and mildly enraged me. So, I wouldn't really recommend buying it, but if it lands in your pullbox because of your "Amazing" subscription, as it did for me, it's not all that bad.

I don't know if we need to see MJ dialect up to hero... this is OK, but I can't see this whole spider family thing going on too long before wearing thin.

This book is a bit too much over-the-top "fun"...it's kind of losing it's charm for me. It's getting a bit played out. And Stockman's art was too Saturday-morning cartoony for me.

This isn't a bad comic, but it is a bit too cutesy and meta for me. Not bad, but not my thing. The Joe Quinones art looks very good. I was surprised to see the overall user rating on this. I feel like a lot of people are bashing this comic here as a complaint against Marvel's recent trend towards more youth-oriented, diverse stories. It certainly doesn't justify a rating below 5, for god's sake. A lot of people are hitting this extra hard.

I'm torn on this. I get what Waid is trying to do, create an Archie comic that has stakes, not just laughs. Nonetheless, I don't think it was my bag. I liked "Riverdale" (the show), which is pretty serious in parts, but that is its own thing. I don't know if I'm looking for deadly serous stakes here.

I wasn't feeling this issue of "Archie." Or the series as a whole of late. Here, the physical gags fall a little bit flat and the script seemed somehow off a bit. Perhaps, some 25 issues of "Archie" in, to go with several issues of "Jughead" and "Betty and Veronica," I'm just feeling a bit of "Archie" fatigue.

Ed McGUinness art! That's...not very good? I was disappointed by the look of this issue, where Morales inks seem to kill McGuinness work. The story was okay, but Old Man Logan is coming close to being as overexposed as the original Wolverine before he died.

I liked the opening pages with the narration by Otto Octavius, and of course seeing Vision and Scarlett Witch together, but the actual story here is slight, to say the least. An interesting turn near the end is rendered moot by a lie told by one of these makeshift Hydra Avengers. An interesting concept, but little comes from it.

I get what King is going for here, with each page of Catwoman and the Joker lying in a pile of rubble, bleeding out, talking to each other treated as a separate segment--but what it lacks is the power of a real conversation, and one could argue that the Joker could never present a coherent argument, but it still seems sorta...gimmicky. And lacking real substance, and reading between the lines, there's nothing too deep here. There are some clever references to Batman past, but I wanted to like this more than I did. I must say, Mikel Janin made an issue with two characters lying in ruins conversing look really great. So, yep.

This is a fun story during the team building paintball game, but as soon as the Freelancers come around, things thud to a halt. This group must be Mark Waid parodying childish supervillainy, mentally abusing homeless men. And framing the Champions for being...mean to the homeless, I guess. To destroy their public image. Meh.

"Strong" issue in a muddled mess of a series. Emphasis on the quotation marks around strong.

A bit of a lull after the momentous events of issue 12, this is an uneven issue that misses Davis-Hunt's art. Creepy-good ending, though.

This was okay. A come down from the first issue, though. I didn't care for the art, and the story was okay in fits and spurts. I don't know if I'm going to keep going with it. I'm on the fence.

The end of all crime in NY! Because the legal system! Um, yeah, Matt...let's get serious. This issue was kind of not great. I found the idea of Matt dancing around acting out action scenes for Echo to be a bit ludicrous. Not really a super-fan of Sudzuka's art, especially after Garney. Can't say I'm exactly looking forward to this plotline.

I sort of liked 2 of the 3 parts of the story here, but found it was burdened by a lot of explanatory dialogue on ominous warning of darkness and destruction. And the narration during the Hackman part was boring mumbo-jumbo. That being said, I don't know shit about Hawkman...but this did not inspire me to learn more. The Jim Lee cover and his third of the art looked nice. So, yeah.

Not a bad comic. It builds to what should be an exciting final issue (I think issue 8 is the end...?) For a Batman title, this has very little to do with Batman, though, and I had no idea wtf was going on in the mini-comic with Green Lantern's floating severed hand, but...yeah.

The story with the Joker awaiting his invitation to Batman and Catwoman's wedding is beyond awesome--it is a tightrope throughout, but I also felt the nervous tension made it more funny as well, in a weird way--Tom King does a great job of capturing the Joker's disconnectedness from reality. It's a bit different than most of the takes I've seen on the Joker lately, which was interesting. The Clay Mann art here was also incredible. Tom King continues to show himself to be a master of short tales--he has done a number of great one-shots in "Batman," and this and other shorter stories like "Good Boy" show he can tell a great story in even a limited number of pages. So, I loved this story. There were also two other stories that were noisy with dialogue, and busy in design, and boring in character. I kind of was reduced to skipping by the end of the last two stories because they were dull and I didn't care. I've come to realize that I have grown to really dislike Scott Snyder's bombastic post-Batman stuff. "Heavy Metal" was an incomprehensible mess, and it seems like most of Snyder's writing in the last couple years leans in that direction. This used to be a guy who could tell stories with subtlety. His new stuff, it's not for me. But 25 cents for a wicked Tom King/Clay Mann Joker short? Fuck yeah!

The mystery continues to build in this inside-job cop prison murder story. I'm not sure what's going on, but I'm gonna keep reading to find out.

The ending delivers promise for next issue, but other than that, nothing much about this issue really grabbed me. I'm not much of an Azrael fan, so maybe that plays a part, but, there you go.

Maybe it's because I have never read anything about Doom Patrol before this series, but I have no idea what the fuck is going on. Maybe that's on me, but ending each issue perplexed is hurting the book's readability for me.

This issue did a solid job of establishing the world of "Flavor"... I felt at one point it was growing a bit tedious in its exposition, but then the cool ending happened, in which a shocking act of violence is counter spliced with a cooking montage. Because of this last scene, I'll read issue #2. But my main complaint is, where was the cooking? The editorial brags of having a "food scientist" as a consultant, but any cooking scenes are indistinct, just one off shots with no ingredients shown...Listen, this may seem geeky, but "Starved," from 2 or so years ago (?) presented a distinct world and making the food, as well as the characters, the star. I'm hoping this series (though a million miles away from "Starved" in terms of look and tone) can do the same.

I found this issue kind of hard to follow. I like Jenkins artwork, but this issue is all about action scenes, and his art is kind of confusing. Still a solid book, but nearly as good as the more contemplative issues.

In the "Grounded" storyline, Bendis has been giving us individual stories that are, well, grounded, giving greater insight into character along the way. This is the first one that kind of falters. I didn't know much about Angela, and I still don't really. It starts all right then descends into an action scene that I didn't really find that interesting, not knowing the stakes. Not bad, but as interesting as the last several issues.

I liked this issue better than the last, as the story was quickly paced and interesting. I found the art to be uneven, though; I like some of To's images, like the splash of Ant Man, but in most panels the figures are small, the background emphasized. The art was so good during the "All-New Guardians of the Galaxy," this is a pretty big comedown for me. I'm kind of on the fence on this series.

This series has been slow paced, to say the least, and I've been largely okay with that, but it is kind of grating here, where the first half of the book is a gratuitous flashback and the cover offers more than the interior delivers. It looks like we'll see Jen in Hulk form next issue, but on this one, I'm a bit annoyed by the delay.

Wolverine is back! And there are clues! I probably wouldn't have gotten this if not for the David Marquez art, and, sure enough, his pages look great. The story of Logan's body going missing is mildly interesting. The back up tale, kind of skippable. But, hey, Guardian shows up! Is it me, or wasn't he killed in Alpha Flight #12 in 1984? Anyway, this is followed by four mini-series surrounding the mystery of Logan's location, none of which I will be reading. So...yeah.

This was an average comic book, with inconsistent art and a kind of meandering plot. I was surprised about the reveal at the end, which was cool and will have me back for the next issue. So there you go.

This was okay. Cory Walker can draw, but this issue feels very rushed, as it doesn't seem up to standards. And the conclusion of the story seems like a bit of a cheat. I'm still looking forward to what is to come, but this didn't fully deliver for me.

Setting things up for next issue's big battle, mostly, this felt disjointed for me, as seemingly every page cuts to a different faction readying for war.

There's nothing that wrong with this book...Stefano Caselli's art is great; I enjoy Riri Williams; but it's pretty much superhero origin crafting by rote... and of course the spectre of what happened to Tony Stark looms over all.

This was the first issue where there was more action than character building, and the result is a comic that is just okay. I'm not sold on the protagonist, but I like Riri so I'm going to stay on.

Meh. Too much Maria Hill, too much S.H.I.E.L.D. I would have preferred this book to go on its own direction for a bit after having the last arc tie around Captain Marvel, but to no avail. Not looking forward to another arc draped around characters I'm already tired of.

This issue uses a creative flashback, using Javier Pulido's classic Steranko-esque art to bring us back in time. I did find, however, the flashback a bit hard to follow. Moreso, however, is the fact that I don't really care about Maria Hill, so this arc is falling a little flat for me. This series has been wildly inconsistent, ranging from excellent to solid to frustrating. I'd say this is one of the solid, but unspectacular issues.

Solid fun, but lacking the charm of North and, er, Charm's first Jughead story with Sabrina.

I haven't read a "Justice League" book since early in the New 52, but with the new creative team, decided to give it a spin. And...it's fine. Pete Woods art is, for the most part, pretty strong here, and I felt the book was nicely paced at first, but by the end, I felt like...well..."ehhh." I wanted to be grabbed here, like I was by the awesome cover, but I don't think I'll be adding this to my pull list.

Ehhh...I'm sorta on board. I liked the sweet romantic bit more than the junk with the drugs and cops.

This series is the exact opposite of Civil War II; the last Marvel event was plagued by issues dominated by dialogue, a lack of action, whereas this series is all-action. Well, I guess the common point is that the story behind each is lacking. Anyway, this was pleasant, and I liked issue 1, but I'm already kind of bored by these monsters.

This series has become frustrating. Lionil Yu's art here is upper level stuff, totally awesome, but the story...not. What there is of story totally lacks any originality. This is happening because Inhumans. Fucking terrigen cloud, Marvel's explanation for everything. So this rating is a 10 on art, and a 4 on story. So, there you go.

This issue is surprisingly dull. "Monstress" usually maintains a strong sense of tension and suspense, but this instalment doesn't really offer much intrigue. It's pretty looking, but also pretty dull.

I don't really know what's going on here, and that may be on me, but this comic does little to fill us in as to what has been occurring. Could a simple lack of a recap ruin this book for me? It's certainly not helping. I pieced it together enough to get a grasp of things...Lou's "Cool Hand Luke" thing was okay, and we got to see a single shoe fly in the air with the sound effect pow, just like Charlie Brown in "Peanuts"! So, yeah!

I found Shawn Crystal's art so jarring last issue, I contemplated dropping this title. Then I saw John Paul Leon will be doing the following arc, so I decided I better stay. Not to be overly harsh on Crystal--his style is not my bag, but perhaps on another title it would work. But the tone of the writing and the tone of the art don't synch. Despite all this, I decided to make the best of it reading this issue, and found it to be pretty good. When Leon joins, this book will likely rise up the list of must-look titles.

This issue isn't bad, really; it is, more than anything else, a little boring. Hydra has somehow taken over America to the point where their revised history is taught in schools, and those who love freedom are on the run. It makes more sense as an alternative reality, but this is real Marvel universe (I don't know what to call it since "Secret Wars"). There's just a lot of talking here; Cap feels sad, because he's really a good guy still despite being a Naz--er, Hydra leader. Tony's A.I. is disillusioned, because I guess artificial intelligences have feelings too? So, yeah. Rick Jones is assassinated to show Hydra is really evil. Odinson some other Avengers fight for Cap for some reason. Well, it looks good, anyway. Here's to only 8 more issues, Andrea Sorrentino art next issue, and the promise (hope?) that something more interesting will happen.

Another frustratingly inconsistent issue; it wasn't bad, but there were parts (heroes arguing with each other) I just wanted to flip through. I liked the Cap/Banner part, and then the Hulk part. Curious characterization continue to be problem. I don't know why Odinson is doing this. It's like they are all chess pieces that are moved around in whatever role they need to be to service the plot. I did like Yu's art. But why does A.I. Tony grow a beard? I get his whole consciousness is now A.I., as the book tries to explain, but...sigh. Okay.

Kind of a flat issue of “Sex Criminals” for me. This focuses on the supporting cast quite a bit, characters far less interesting than our 2 leads. Not bad, but not up to usual standards either.

Hints of the whereabouts of Alex Braith are here, and I hope that they lead somewhere, as I miss her presence in this series.

A solid, but more or less average issue. Nico Leon's art is nice, holding the issue up a bit higher than the plot (which is pretty standard fare) does. And, hey, a cover that has absolutely no contextual tie to the book inside! That's always neat!

I really liked the first issue, but this issue...what's the point? We were left with a cliffhanger, as Peter looks shocked, stunned to discover...a Google search that goes nowhere! I like the rapport between the Spider-Men, but aside from being pretty to look at, there's not much to this issue. And...Peter only 3 years older than Miles? What the fuck is that?

This series is pretty muddled. After a strong first ish, it hasn't really gone anywhere. This month we get a flashback explaining Miles' father's background, which was pretty entertaining in its own right; it doesn't really seem like it should be the centerpiece to a 5-part story. There's a serious lack of momentum going on, and, as for the central conflict/idea of the story, I don't care so much.

Solid issue...Kirk's head/face sometimes looks peculiar, as Chris Pine seems to pose particular trouble for artist Shasteen

Generally solid, well written issue that has some major problems on art. Simply put, Megan Levens pencils were barely adequate. A good read, but not going as boldly as it did over the first arc.

The "Vader Down" crossover was really good, as was the "Screaming Citadel" one-shot, but this crossover has kind of fizzled out, in my eyes. This issue was okay, but I think I would have preferred this to be a Luke/Aphra solo team up story, without dragging in the supporting casts. I think the underlying problem is that Jason Aaron's "Star Wars" hasn't been consistently good in a very long time, leaving me to think he's running in place regarding interesting things to do with this property.

I like Doctor Aphra, but the story in this arc fell apart for me as it progressed. Looking forward to an uptick in the crossover with Star Wars, and the team-up between Aphra and Luke.

"Screaming Citadel" kind of veers off track in this issue for me, as Luke's people arrive and we have some goofy action. It just didn't interest me like the first two chapters. There are definitely diminishing returns from the excellent opener to this chapter. The art was pretty good, but in the final panel of one page in the middle of the book, when Luke is talking to Aphra, he looks exactly like Alfred E. Neuman. So, there you go.

"Strangers in Paradise" suffers from heavy, heavy exposition--it starts with Katchoo in a dire situation, and then reels back how we got there. But it is so text-heavy, I felt like I was reading a synopsis. My interest revived somewhat with the brief introduction/mash-up with "Rachel Rising," but it only kind of made me wish I was reading something as good as that series instead. I don't have a long background with the "Strangers" characters, having read most of the first super-thick omnibus of the original series (40 or so issues), and I must say I enjoyed "Motor Girl" and "Rachel Rising" more than I am this. It seems sorta dated to me. Anyway, Moore's art is gorgeous, so it's worth it for that, but I gotta say this series is sort of just "pretty good" so far.

This comic isn't bad, but it didn't hook me enough to come back for the rest of the series. I liked the premise of the "haunted" characters, and the ending is pretty damn cool, but some of Sharpe's dialogue seems awkward ("the rutting of the beast with two backs"...ugghhhh) and I really felt the folklore stuff to overly wordy and overly full of goblins or whatever, which is not really what I was looking for coming in. If you're into the Celtic folk stuff, this series probably has a lot to offer, but it's not my bag right now.

Hey, what's going on with Lois Lane?! I don't really care, which made this issue less than thrilling for me. It is still generally well-written, because it is Bendis, but nothing much of any consequence happens here (because it is Bendis). We see more of the staff of The Daily Planet (Holy shit! Newspapers are in trouble!), but I don't really care about Jimmy or Perry, or the Planet, or whatever. I realize that makes a pretty poor review, and that I'm a Marvel guy, but at many points since "Rebirth" I really enjoyed Superman stories with Jon and Lois; so this is okay, but nothing about it is captivating me and making me care like some of those comic did.

This was alright. It felt, largely due to the art, like a 70s or 80s comic to me. I think I'm growing a bit weary of Malekith, who is so one-note. I'm glad to move on to the Asgard/Shi'ar War and the return of Russell Dauterman.

This issue is fine...it's just not for me. I just don't care enough for the plot or characterization to let the art save it for me. I used this to see if I'm keeping this title or dropping it, and the latter won out.

This was an okay issue of "The Walking Dead," though the "take me to Stephanie or shoot us," "No, cooperate or we'll shoot you thing got stale, and I must say I find this new "wacky" character, Juanita or "Princess," grating at best. On the plus side, the revelations near the end of the issue are interesting and have promise for a strong arc ahead.

This is, well, a pretty dull issue. It doesn't really feel like there are real stakes with these zombies anymore...I'm not feeling the threat. Anyway, nothing much happens here.

I'm kind of torn on "The Weatherman." I wasn't really liking it, and I was kind of feeling that it was boring, and kind of decided to just flip through the rest of it. But when I saw what happened, I was like "Oh shit, I better read this!" The premise is sort of interesting, but the mystery of what happened didn't really even play that big a part here. Halfway through the book I decided I was going to drop it, but now I'm on the fence. I'll read issue #2 to see where this goes.

This is alright. I dunno. I'm going to keep reading it, but nothing in this first issue was really captivating. The music thing was sort of dumb. I'm gonna stay on, but this book is kind of on a short leash.

This isn't a bad comic, but it's not a comic for me. I can't get behind this team. It's just a book I don't need. That being said, for those who enjoy slightly wackier Avengers antics, and, I guess, Squirrel Girl or whatever, there you go. I did enjoy the idea of Luke and Jessica's kid becoming Captain America, but another Cap running about in this universe? Nah.

For the first 15 issues, this series had the benefit of great art on both storylines.This issue was interesting, but the art did not really work for me. I liked the twins as villains, and the scene in the museum was cool, but I need more Diana in a Wonder Woman comic.

This is pretty underwhelming in terms of being an enjoyable comic in its own right; what we have instead here is a reset of the status quo, an issue of exposition that employs the overplayed trope of Kitty returning home and reflecting on change. I also found the artwork to be very spotty. The scene with Lady Deathstrike and, uh...Carla is horribly drawn. Oh well. I'm going to give the new X-books a chance, but this isn't an overly promising start.

The sentinels are dealt with much more interestingly in Cullen Bunn's "X-Men Blue" than they are here, in another just okay issue of "X-Men Gold." It's pretty much by-the-numbers X-Men here; despite having the flashier team, this book's stories are much less interesting. I was intrigued by the cover, but the return of Gambit doesn't amount to much. It's not bad, it's just...meh.

A typical issue, with wacky events galore. JR JRs art is working here more than Snyder'a scripting. Cool, kitchy aspects in how Batman uses his arise, but Mt Snyder has got to change the tone

I didn't especially care for Snyder's heavily stylized narrative style here, and the back-up, while looking good, ultimately left me a bit disinterested. I think by the time this issue comes out each month, I've forgotten what's going on in the back-up. I'll have to go back and read it as one story when it concludes, perhaps, to fully appreciate it.

This issue had highs and lows. I liked the Rafeal Albuquerque art, but wasn't really feeling the black-ops Alfred thing or his narration about his dad. I kind of sighed when I saw the back-up, because with these 8-page instalments I never remember what happened in the last one (I read a lot of comics!), but I got into this one. So, not great, but pretty good issue.

Interesting issue that provides a lot of relevant info, but it comes in the form of flashbacks, prohibiting any forward action. Still, an important piece in this event.

This issue deals with Peter trying to build a last defence for Parker Industries, which is pretty by the numbers. It sets the story elements in place for what looks like a more thrilling next issue. What elevates it here is the phenomenal art of Stuart Immonen, who somehow seems to be getting better by the issue.

This is a solid one-shot issue, but the most interesting part is the ending, which is admittedly badassed, and the return of Stuart Immonen on art. Looks like this will take an upward swing with Part 2.

Dan Slott's "Amazing Spider-Man" run is approaching its end, and as I was reading this I thought not that it was bad or anything, but seems kind of just another of the same kind of story...the same vibe or feel, which has kind of gotten tired at times over the past couple of years. Like this Goblin Squad or whatever...I'm tired of these guys. That said, I did like Jameson's interactions with Spidey, I did say wtf when I saw Peter's interactions with MJ, and I did enjoy Mike Hawthorne's Spider-Man scenes, even if some of his faces weren't that great...after what seems like a minor chapter in this arc, things look to pick up next issue.

This issue's storyline was a bit tepid, but new artist Pete Woods is great. I liked it, and maybe it's all the "Riverdale" I'm watching, but this seemed a bit too innocuous.

This book is notable mainly because of the artist. Not much happens to move the plot, as this issue is mainly a giant psychic battle between the X-Men and Proteus, but it is a dynamically portrayed psychic battle. Aco, who stood out for his awesome and stylistically innovative work on “Nick Fury,” really makes his pages come alive. This comic’s revolving door artist policy has brought us a few duds, but issues like this make it worth it.

Okay issue. The multiple Kangs aspect was fun, but I don't have much of a sense of who this team is. I'm not feeling the chemistry.

This was okay. It settled into a fairly standard plot, but I generally liked the interactions between the characters. Jesus Saiz is pretty fine on pencils. Oh, and I almost skipped the little 3-page Avengers origin synopsis at the back, but I read it and found it charming. So, there you go...solid, but I'm sure better lay ahead

This issue of "The Avengers" slows the pace to allow the players in this story to regroup, and for the writers to explore themes of redemption and...well, forgiveness? There's a nice talk with Jarvis and Bruce Banner in which Jarvis challenges Bruce's ideas on himself, and we gather for the final push. 3 issues left!

"Avengers" #2 was a pretty solid issue. The Avengers are scattered across the globe battling celestial villains, which I'm sure will ultimately lead to a giant team formation issue. I liked the Robbie Reyes bits; I haven't really read much of the character since the first six or so issues of his original series a couple of years ago. I'm not sold on She-Hulk; I don't think it's ever been explained why Jen hulks out in the more traditional sense now, becoming dumb and brutish. We know she has PTSD, but I think this change warrants more of an explanation than that. And Loki's back, in a more traditionally evil garb. Good book. But I miss "No Surrender."

I liked the first issue of "Barrier" but have continued to be befuddled by it with each issue, largely due to the Spanish captions; for some of this I hit "GoogleTranslate," other times I muddled through--this issue, though, was more comprehensible in that it fills in the background tragedies that each of our main characters is dealing with. It ends in a surprising way which, when you think about it, is not surprising at all in that we have had the fate and lives of our characters obstructed throughout the series, so this fate is kind of in tune. If kind of disappointing, to sort of overemphasize his themes of the barriers of language. Marcos Martin's art was the best since the first issue--a certain 2 key scenes were expertly portrayed in best tragic form. A kind of okay end to a series I really thought and hoped would be a bit better.

I'm not a fan of the narrative choices King makes in this issue, but Janie's art is sharply styled as Batman fights his way through a sea of minions to come face to face with Bane.

2 great stories by King and Finch and Snyder and Shalvy, and another one that's pretty good. Three out of five ain't bad...

I don't really have any idea what is going on here, but at least it was not boring. I understand that the writers are purposefully unveiling the story slowly, but I'm not sure if I'm down for a whole arc of this confusion. I am coming back for issue 3, in any case.

I have been enjoying this arc, but this issue fell a little flat for me. I did really enjoy seeing Alan Davis' pencils for 5 or so pages, a really great scene which reminded me of Neal Adams' art. I'm also digging Romero here, but I think I'm almost ready for the Cap relaunch. I don't object to this Cap-free arc, but this one felt a bit like filler.

This series has, after it's shocking intro, been all about the slow build, and that doesn't change here. That said, I found it interesting, and while this book isn't the same without Jesus Saiz, Javier Pina fills in admirably.

Interesting, action-packed book that nevertheless isn't quite grabbing me the way the rest of the Young Animal books are.

This issue continues in the social justice vein, but adds Gwenpool as...kind of a counterpoint, I guess? Anyway, they have to convince her to kind of think before blowing things up. One great aspect of the kind of one-off nature of this series means that she is gone; this is my first exposure to this character, and my response is a resounding "Ehhhh....."

I really enjoyed this issue until the last two pages, where Waid shifts the focus back on the Freelancers striking deep in the heart of the Champions by making them look like heartless land barons. It's kind of stupid, in my opinion. And I like Ms. Marvel in her own series...here, she's a little much, having a near mental breakdown over the group's reputation being disparaged on twitter. Oh well, there's nothing to do but sigh and wait for the next issue, because despite my complaints, it's still too good not to stick with. I'd just like Waid to tone down the overbearing social justice themes that have become this series' driving force.

Solid issue, but doesn't really move the overall story. Some of Sanya Anwar's panels really shine. I look forward to seeing more from her in the future.

I've enjoyed Muse as a villain, and found this storyline enjoyable, but my interest in this particular issue flagged a bit with its focus on Blindspot.

This is an interesting issue. Coming off of the fantastic last arc, this deals with the fallout. "Matt Murdock" has placed a bounty on Daredevil's life, and I'm not sure why. Is it only to draw out foes to beat them senseless in guilty rage? I assume that there is more to it than this, but this is pure speculation.

Well, this didn't all amount to much, but this issue in itself is a solid conclusion. It seems to set the table for more Dark Knight, which is, well, um...yeah. It had it's charming moments, like Batman warming to the new Batwoman, and the surprisingly optimistic mini-comic, with Miller pencils that didn't look horrifically distorted. So, there it is.

This issue is an okay ending, but I can't help but think that this series is kind of going out with a whimper. I don't know. This series maybe touched its potential, but it's ending so fast I can't help but think of missed opportunities. This works better as an emotional goodbye to Bendis than as a story. Perhaps I'm also a bit sour because this issue is a reminder of all the top level talent fleeing Marvel right now. Bendis is Bendis and David Marquez is incredible. Sheesh.

I've been with "Descender" since #1, and now it has reached its penultimate issue. The stakes are really high...apocalyptic, really. Things are coming to a head and humanity is on the brink of being eliminated. The art, as it has been from the series' inception, is fantastic. I've enjoyed these characters, and am excited to see how things wrap up next issue.

This is a solid issue made dynamite by the great painted art of Ben Oliver. The book looks absolutely great. Not too excited about rehashing "Night of the Monster Men," a story that was so terrible I dropped the respective titles for the second half. To me, Batman and giant monsters just don't mix.

I liked the exploration of Orphan's character, which opens the book. However, this is followed by an Azreal story I didn't really care for, and a Batman story that was more of a hint of things to come than an actual story. So, okay, fine, but not great.

Solid introduction to the new arc, held down somewhat by the so-so art of Christian Duce, who suffers coming on the heels of Eddie Barrow and Ben Oliver.

This issue was pretty good. The Gotham PD's belief that Batman killed the mayor, and willingness to shoot on sight any of his allies, stretched credulity. I liked the art for the first three pages, but then we have a switch, and fall back to just-okay art. I have really liked this book since the Rebirth, but wasn't quite feeling it all the way this time. Good, not great.

Solid, but unspectacular issue, with fine, but uninspired art. It was alright.

This story strikes me as good, but not great. These shadowy assassins are actually not that thrilling. It seems like every story arc, Gotham City itself, and every one of Batman's team, are placed on death's brink. If Gotham is always on the verge of collapse, only to pull out the victory every 6 or 7 issues, it's not that suspenseful. The nuances of Gotham City can be explored in smaller scale stories.

This is an interesting, if unspectacular issue. I haven't read "The Flash" since dropping it 7-8 issues after Rebirth, due to a revolving door of artists and a basic failure to really connect with the character. But of, course, I'm back for "The Button." After the spectacular comic that was "Batman" #21, I thought a lot of that would carry over, but that was distinctly a Batman comic and this is distinctly a Flash comic. I've always been more of a Marvel than DC fan, so maybe this issue has greater significance to DC diehards.

A bit of a down issue, but it sets us up for the conclusion next issue. Overall, this series has been very good, and I'm excited to see how it wraps. I'm also excited by Jason Shawn Alexander's artwork, and seeing where he lands next after this.

The credulity of the love at first sight angle seems questionable, but Robinson and Feister made this entertaining enough to bring me back for the next issue. This is a pretty fun comic.

F**king Captain Marvel!

This book is interesting, but plodding in pace. I do want to know what follows, but hope that things pick up a bit from the slow build of the first two issues.

This issue certainly twisted in several directions I did not expect, and I went from thinking, "This is stupid," to "This is stupid, but it's fun," and I certainly didn't expect anything this silly from this book. The ending left me kind of like, "Eh," but this is a really good series that brings something different in every issue.

This is an interesting issue, but only that. It's pace is sloooow, and Victor is almost too humble to believe here...I mean, he is still Doom, right? I'm looking forward to the next issue, though, where it looks like Doom and Reed will face off.

This issue has good moments but an ending that is pretty unclear and muddied. The scene with young Victor and his mother was interesting, and I really liked the scene with Ben Grimm looking through the ruins of Doom's castle, and the encounter he has. This book has a strong Fantastic Four feel. It has good characterization. But things continue to move at a snail's pace.

The epic battle continues, and Ryan Ottley shines in this issue, which is pretty to look at before being overcome by his trademark gore, where it becomes a mishmash of smashed and severed bodies. I'm more a fan of character-led issues than all-out battle ones, so I hope Kirkman allows for these moments alongside the carnage.

This issue looks pretty and is interesting, even if it feels a bit like treading water. I found the opening with Victor and his discovery interesting, but the whole bit with Riri's shit being stolen was kind of pointless. The art from Caselli, and especially Maleev, is pretty great here. And the ending suggests the story will be making a bigger advancement with the next issue--I only hope Bendis has enough time to give this big story he's crafted over the last few years properly.

After a pretty flawless opening issue, this book slips back a bit, showing the X-Men's attack and incapacitation of the Inhumans. However, most of the Inhumans' heavy hitters aren't accounted for here, so the tide will turn. Even so, it's nice to see the mutants confident and powerful in defence of themselves. I'm still super excited for this series, but this issue was a bit light.

An okay issue. Not much happens, but it's not boring either. More excellent Gaydos art. Not great, but not bad.

This feels like a last issue. Jessica's struggle with the Purple Man comes to a close, albeit a somewhat underwhelming one. I'm not even sure if this series will continue post-Bendis, but there is at least one more. This is a little too conversational (too Bendis-y?), even if it does have great Gaydos art.

My only Judge Dredd memories are reading some Simon Bisley issues---never really left an impression, except maybe being kinda weird. But, seeing Mark Russell doing this intrigued me, and I checked it out. It's okay. I'm not quite sure what to make of it yet. I'm hoping that Russell will flesh things out more in the upcoming issues. The art was solid, pretty nice. This didn't blow my mind, but I'm interested enough to put it on my pull list.

Doesn't reach the heights of the last two issues, but very solid

This was a good issue. Lots of action and tension, and a clever plot point referring to last issue to save Kick-Ass's...well. But I found JRJR's characters look a lot a like, confusing me a bit in the midst of the action.

Grimy, druggy crime story, fascinating enough, if not overly chaotic. This chaos reflects the lives of the characters well, however.

That was different. I am not a Man-Thing fan, but was curious enough to give this a try. It reads like a 70s-80s comic with the 3rd person narration, but that wasn't necessarily a bad thing (though some of the jokes were groan-inducing...like an old comic). At 42, I think I'm too old to have read any "Goosebumps," but this left me entertained enough to try issue 2 as well.

Kind of a quiet, regrouping issue of "Monstress," this nonetheless had some strong points--the art is awesome, as always, and the fox camp was interesting. We didn't see enough of this, but the preview for #15s cover suggests it will get closer treatment. Not as dynamic as always, but still a really good series.

“Moonshine” is back, and, I must say I am somewhat baffled by the events here, it’s been so long on hiatus. Welcome to modern comics. The creators have got to get the reader back in tune with the plot and characters, something not really effectively done here. Russo’s art is beautiful, and the book succeeds in mood/atmosphere, but I wasn’t floored like I feel I should be after a book with this caliber of creator.

This is a fun, interesting, and good looking series so far. This issue ends on an intriguing note as we wonder if this mysterious stranger can end Domino's downwards skid.

This was a great arc with a not-so-great finale. For all the threat that was built over the last 4 issues, it is dismissed by...playing nice? It takes a complex idea and over-simplifies it. But oh well. Still looked great.

This book has been the source of a lot of creepiness over its run, and now that it is ending, it feels like it's ending too fast. The story as a whole took its time for the sake of creepy thrills, but this issue is filling in a lot of the mystery points with heavy exposition. It's good, but I think the book deserved a few more issues to get the mood and pacing of the end of the grand story right.

Solid first issue with great sketchy art.

Not much is resolved here in the conclusion to the third arc of "Paper Girls," which should really stand as no surprise. This book is still enjoyable, but this third arc didn't resonate with me in the same way as the first two (especially the 2nd, which was so good) did. Perhaps because of the pre-historic setting. But the conclusion of this issue offers an interesting set-up for the next arc; of course I'm on board for some Y2K action!

For the first time in this whole time-travelling arc, I kind of felt it was getting old, so, appropriately, it ends here, and it ends in a cool way. I was pretty tentative through the first half of the issue (and I believe I rated every other issue of this storyline 8.5-10.0), but I think it rounded out nicely. The Spidey from the upcoming PS4 game looks sorta stupid, not for the white spider, but for the clunky wrist and anklets. But the concluding page was super cool. As a whole, this arc doesn't really go out with a bang, but certainly not with a whimper either.

This issue is pretty good, but the story has been going on forever and is starting to drag on. A new storyline would be refreshing, but it won't happen here, as this series is ending in favour of a couple of solo titles. I don't think I'm going to do either...for me, the magic of these characters is how they work together.

The final page is another example of how great Steve Dillon's art could be.

Well-done, but formulaic sci-fi. The boy's loneliness and his relationship with Q interested me more than the particle mining and attacking bug things.

This series intrigued me with the first issue, and remains interesting, but has yet to fully deliver on its promise. This issue shows digs more into supernatural/dark arts weirdness, with Jackie finally meeting with the mysterious Jimmy Page--er, Jimmy James--but, like the last issue, I feel like I'm missing or not getting something when I read this. I'm down for the next issue, but am hoping it will begin hinting at a the truth behind its cryptic secrets rather than leaving us entirely in the dark.

What saved this issue was an ending that genuinely took me by surprise. Shock ending(s) notwithstanding, this issue moves along at a rather slow pace. There are still five issues left and an epilogue, but I can't help wondering why this whole thing couldn't be done in, say, 6-7 total issues. There is a surplus of characters, but because of this they don't really get deep characterization. That being said, I am interested in reading #6.

Another issue of "Secret Empire," and a whole bunch of stuff going on. The plot is building up, and it's getting more exciting, but I still have trouble with the series initial premise. Sorrentino's pages look great, but his action scenes can be a little confusing. Not great, but pretty good.

Suffers from what the whole series has so far: too many characters, too busy, too much dialogue. That being said, it, like the other issues, has a killer surprise ending. The art is a bit average, but those who found all of this too gloomy will be pleased to see the heroes refuse to quit in their battle against Hydra. Inconsistent, but also with some pretty good parts.

I'm a little torn on this. After a build-up that seemed at times to take forever, the ending seems rushed. So many questions are left unanswered. Kobik reinstating a better reality seems like an unimaginative way to conclude. But good Steve picked up Thor's hammer and knocked the shit out of evil Steve, yo! This issue is receiving a lot of condemnation and vitriol, and, yes, I am a sucker, but I generally liked it. It was a wildly inconsistent event, but Spencer and Steve McNiven did a great job here in delivering an utterly predictable but cheer-worthy ending. I know that, all things considered, I probably shouldn't like this, but what the fuck; I liked it!

For a moment the tense mood breaks and there is a bit of levity, but this is very serious, and, sorry, not a whole lot of fun. The quest is striking me as being a bit tedious. I love "Deadly Class" and "Black Science," and I know the positive reviews for this are overwhelming, but this is kind of missing the mark for me. I don't not like it, but I feel like I should be wowed but am not. Worth picking up for the art, but I hope the story itself picks up too.

Well, that's it for the monthly issues. But I am going to follow this saga in the new Graphic Novel format.

This issue was okay, exploring Jon and Suzie's adjustments to lives of banality without each other. I think the tone of the book, unrelenting as it is, can be a bit much at times, and this was the case here. And I'm not sure how much I care about the cast of characters outside Jon and Suzie. But I am interested enough to keep reading.

This was a pretty good, but not really great conclusion to the Miles/Gwen team-up. I think we all knew the romantic element between them wouldn't really happen, but after the intriguing start in Bendis' "Spider-Man," it still seems a little underplayed. And now I must say goodbye, Spider-Gwen; I picked up this book for the crossover and now it is dropped.

This issue had me until the surprise twist, which fell flat for me. Great Pichelli art though.

This series has more or less been a major disappointment as of late, as the the whole Sinister Six thing is kind of run of the mill for me. This issue, while nothing spectacular, kept me interested enough to hang in till the surprise conclusion, which actually has me interested to read this next time, for the first time in a while.

The final Bendis issue of "Spider-Man" serves as an analog of Bendis' illness this past year, which unexpectedly almost took his life. It's sentimental, but not overly so, and serves as a nice outdo to his Miles run. Thankfully the Sinister Six plot plays a minor role in this, and we see the people in Miles life rally around him. I really liked the ending with Ganke, Curiously, Miles himself seems to be stepping away from the role of Spider-Man, as Bendis himself is walking away from the character. I feel like I got on the Miles bandwagon too late, and missed most of the really great stories Bendis did with him, but I certainly appreciate the character and am curious to see where Marvel takes him next.

Not the greatest issue, but things are bound to be weird between these two after "Secret Empire". I picked this series up after a few months off because of the Chris Bachalo art, which made this worth its while. Looks really great and was a solid bit of fun so I'll stay on board.

Al things considered, for a pointless tie-in, it was actually quite amusing. I'm done with "Monsters Unleashed" cross-overs, but this is not at all a bad comic.

This series hasn't proven to be spectacular, though showing hints that it could be at times in the first arc, but it is solid. I did enjoy this read, although the art isn't up to the level of Tony Shasteen's work on 1-4. Solid, unspectacular, but worth keeping up on just so I can check in with these characters every month.

This issue explores Spock and Uhura's relationship, and their suitability to each other as human and Vulcan mates. It does so in the backdrop of a plot which stresses the differences between the two species. Not great, but pretty good. Tony Shasteen returns some stability to the art.

Solid first issue.

This book seemed a little light on content, as it was a very fast read. Entertaining, but slight. In any case, it sets up the next issue very well.

Entertaining enough first issue.

This is a pretty solid read. The take on Boyzarro coming from a dysfunctional family is kind of funny, and I liked the scenes with Boyzarro and Superboy. And Robzarro was kind of funny. Pretty good.

In his quest to save his life Thanos leaves destruction in his wake. This series looks good, and I like the team assembled to bring Thanos down, but the destroyer himself is really not that captivating a character here.

In this issue Thanos feels the weight of being mortal, and is sad. And he battles a giant rodent-monster. And is sad. I missed Deodato's art here, though Peralta does make the plot easy to follow in an issue that is mostly dialogue-free. So, yeah, it was alright.

This book is interesting, with "No One" mysteriously on the back of the Black Hood, and it looks great, but I had a hard time understanding what was going on, what the context is, in the Hood's conversation with Lorenzo. A bit of muddy storytelling. Also, the story doesn't seem to move along much with this conversation. So I feel we're a little behind where we should be after this issue.

An amusing issue of "The Fix," although not one of the better ones. I'm interested to see how this all turns out, and Spencer's darkly comedic tone still works, but it's not quite as sharp as the early issues were.

“The Fix” #11 is an amusing book, as it does feature a grief-stricken man snorting lines of cocaine off of a horse’s behind. This aside, I’ve kind of lost the story thread here—this book comes out infrequently enough that I have only an overview of what this is. Other gags, like the ultra-trendy lefty boss who is, on the side, a treacherous psychotic, are starting to fall a little flat. Liked it, but they are losing me with the erratic shipping schedule.

This book continues to be entertaining and fun, but this issue, while pretty good, isn't a standout. Valeri Schiti's art doesn't seem as good as usual here, and the Queen of Cinders' boasts grow stale.

This was a pretty enjoyable issue of "The Terrifics." I don't really care for these DC d-listers, except maybe Mr. Terrific and Phantom Girl--Metamorpho and Plastic Man are too Ben Grimm and Johnny Storm for their own good. That said, the scene where Phantom Girl describes her origin is a wonderful look at old comics, and I'm interested enough at the end to read issue #3. And the art is brilliant. So...yeah.

For the last few issues this title has been delivering softball stories that seem to have very few stakes to make things interesting. This issue is mildly amusing but Greg Pak delivers his message ("there's more to us all than racial stereotypes") with the subtlety of a gamma bomb. Mahmud Asrar's return is a great relief, as his art is very strong here, making for a great looking book. But the story has the tone of an after school special. Or an episode of Saved by the Bell.

This issue sets up a huge battle in the next, and a full return for Olivier Coipel, which will hopefully help bring the Odinson back to full glory. Few can match Coipel on Thor, and it's not fair to expect them too, but his limited time on this issue made it a bit less thunderous for me.

Solid issue with two strong points: a revelation about Negan in the opening pages, and the revelation that the war is not finished, but only getting started in the closing pages.

I kind of like this series more on the slow-broil moments more than the big war issues. Another very solid instalment here.

I don't know quite what is happening here as this series moves towards its climax, but I have enough of a clue to still find the issue enjoyable. It was cool to see the scene from the very beginning replayed here. This is one of those books that is seeming like it would be better in trade, as the erratic schedule is hurting my enjoyment of it a bit.

Solid issue, though it seems to move slower than the first three, and while the art certainly isn't bad, it doesn't reach the same heights Francis Manupul and Clay Mann reached in issues 1-3.

I unsubscribed to this title after issue #6, but that wasn't fast enough to escape having #7 pulled for me (my sub service takes 3 weeks notice). Surprisingly, I liked this a lot for over half the issue, in a kind of super-villainy campy way, but when the Superman/Batman/Wonder Woman monster popped up, my interest waned. The Clay Mann art, so good in the first half, also seems to dip in the fight pages in the second half. So, okay, but I'm content to let this series go for now.

Not a lot happens in this issue but there's solid art and fun dialogue to make it worth the read

Solid issue. I like the intro flashback morphing into a nightmare with Rogue. This book seems set on the level of an always good, but not excellent, title for me.

Things wind down after a pretty intense run of issues...it was a good read, although typical of the "let's go out to a bar and relax after saving earth/humanity" genre. Wonder Man is back, and I think, "I don't care, I've never even read a Wonder Man comic, so...not super excited for next issue, but this series has been reliably high quality so I'm in anyway.

This issue dropped off a bit from the last two for me. Some of the action was confusing. And Daisy goes through events that show some vulnerability in her, and then on the final page it's gone. So, still a good series, but...yeah.

This series rounds out in good form with a good issue; I feel like there are still a lot of answers to come about the mysterious water people, but the ending hints at a sequel.

This was pretty good. Drawn by the much maligned Greg Land, I thought the issue looked sharp. My only concern is a bit of fatigue with the Weapon X program. The other books promised a lighter tone, and I know that the same can't be done with this rogues gallery, but it will have to go in some different directions for me to be in for the long haul. But I'm giving it a shot.

The story itself, and the antagonists, are a bit stale, but I did enjoy the action of this issue. I also liked the introductory characterization of Warpath. I will like this book a little more when the characters are able to face a different threat than weapon x scientists; I don't know if it's going there, but I liked this enough to hang on for a bit to see.

It all comes tumbling down here, as Peter and Otto match minds, and Peter shows the extent he's willing to go to in order to keep Parker Industries out of Otto's hands. Strong art from Immonen, as always. So the "Secret Empire" crossover ends, and judging from the preview of the next issue, it'll be a doozy.

This issue was pretty good. I like the chemistry between Peter and Bobbi, and the opening scene where Peter is wearing her t-shirt made me laugh out loud. The story itself isn't that much, and the anti-Parker stuff sometimes seems heavy-handed. But it is an entertaining read. The art of Stuart Immonen continues to destroy the competition, making this book a must for that alone.

After last issue kicked this conflict into overdrive, Slott pulls back here in an issue that focuses more on Pete's Amazing Friends than Spidey himself. It's pretty good, though after all the spider-events over the last few years, none of the Spider-family really excite me. But the Immonen art is beautiful, and next issue looks like it'll be crazy. So, yeah.

This issue serves as the conclusion to not only the whole, slow-building Norman Osborn/Red Goblin saga, but Dan Slott's whole "Amazing" run. This was an entertaining issue, if not quite meeting the high expectations established in the build-up to this finale. I must say I expected more Immonen art here, and while his pages look great, there aren't quite enough. The dialogue here is well-done, with a lot of funny/groan-worthy lines, and the pace is not bad for an 80 page issue--it's exciting enough that it rarely feels like there are too many pages here. I also like the way the Spidey/Jonah relationship is going. While all of this is good, I felt the Red Goblin didn't quite live up to his billing here; issues 797 & 798 established such a creepy threat, it doesn't exactly evoke the same menace here. And the stupid-looking eyes on Spidey/Venom drove me nuts. But overall, a good end to what has been a really great Slott/Immonen run.

This one didn't get me as much as the first two issues, but it was still a lot of fun. It's kind of heavy on exposition, but Ryan Ottley makes it interesting regardless. The idea of a separate Peter Parker and Spider-Man isn't exactly original (Is that other Clark Kent still running around in Superman comics?), it's done in an interesting way. I just hope that this is a story that wraps up in another few issues, and we don't have to live with the split. But, I am really liking this new Spidey relaunch. Also, the Steve Ditko tribute at the beginning was very well done, a great testament to the man who co-created my favourite comic character of all time, my man Spidey. Love you Ditko!

I liked this. A good conclusion to the first arc. That being said, I don't know how much water the concept of a Spider-family fighting crime will hold in a continuing series. Given Peter's very nature, him allowing his daughter to be placed in danger continuously just doesn't jive. But it's fun enough for me to stay on for now.

This was the last issue pulled for me after I decided to drop this title, and, lo and behold, I really liked it. It's fun to see this old school, but different iteration of the X-Men. The whole concept of this book has kind of lost me, with Peter's whole family super-powered, but I'll probably try to get the rest of this X-Men storyline.

Fun as always. I like how Jie Eisma has settled in as the regular artist. Can't wait to see how Cheryl Blossom shakes up the Riverdale status quo.

This issue reminds me a lot of classic Archie stories with it's little touches: Cheryl and Jason pushing people of bikes and kicking the change away from hoboes, Archie rolling down a hill in a barrel of molasses with no explanation...it's silly fun.

This is a good comic. The two-page spread showing Archie and Betty's history beautifully shows their relationship. The comic is filled with dramatic tension. But I'm not sure if this is the tone I'm looking for in an Archie comic. I loved the show "Riverdale," but the comics are a different thing. The light, comic sweetness of most of the series, echoing all the Archie books of the past, was what I wanted. I'm still on board, but seeing where this all goes.

This is an interesting issue of "Astonishing X-Men," as Professor Xavier is reborn...sort of. I must say I found this new incarnation a bit weird, and even a bit like X-Files Ghost Mr. Burns talking of peace and gifts for everyone. I did like the scene with Betsy and Fantomex, and the scene with Bishop analyzing the green sun over London was cool. As was Phil Noto's art. After dropping "Blue" and "Gold," "Astonishing" is doing a good job keeping me into the X-Men.

This was a cool issue in that it brought back Avengers' teams past to enter into the current Kang war. It looked good, but was probably Mike del Mundo's shakiest effort to date; the character work featured a parade of shocked faces, eyes wide and mouths agape. But overall, good stuff.

This issue is a pretty solid story with absolutely jaw-dropping work by Jesus Saiz. This is worth it for the art alone.

This was pretty good. Strangely enough, for all the excitement over Marvel's Fresh Start, this is kind of less entertaining than the 16-week mega-event that proceeded it. Still, it was entertaining enough, and Ed McGuinness' art was way more solid--not just solid, but cool--than I expected. The cover is a bit iffy so I didn't know what to expect. This was certainly sweeping in scope, and I'm pretty cool with the new line-up, except that She-Hulk's action-less, excitement-less solo title wearied me on PTSD Jen. Good idea, frustrating execution on that series. But, overall, this comic book was enjoyable.

I kind of came into this issue thinking this series has been kind of a disappointment so far, but I ended up really enjoying this one. I still don't know when Jen Walters turned into a traditional Banner-type Hulk, but it's not really annoying me any more--the moment she breathes/kisses life into Thor was cool. I just was pretty captivated from the start to the finish. The art was pretty solid--I liked it, though in some panels I wasn't exactly sure what I was looking at. Overall, I like the cast, this story is getting more interesting, so ... I'm on board of this thing.

This was a good issue. It gets us to know the characters better, and develops the storyline. I like the part with the "Prairie Dog" and her father. Great ending. An entertaining read.

This isn't the kind of comic I usually read, but it continues to be interesting. I'm staying with it.

The opening scene, as Gordon is called to see both the Joker and the Riddler, respectively, is well done, but the rest of the issue features Batman providing exposition over colleges of action. Something like the battle between Deadshot and Deathstroke could have been told in a more exciting manner. Good, but the kind of issue that makes me wonder if this story needs 12 issues to play out.

This issue is pleasant enough, a loving exploration of Batman and Superman's high school crush on each other, but stands out mainly due to the awesome Clay Mann artwork. This book looks great. It's a testament to King's writing that he is able to surround himself with only the best artists, on every arc, of this Batman run.

This issue was all right, though I don't really buy Poison Ivy's power level, in taking over, well, the world, and in turn, Catwoman seems disproportionately powerful--how exactly does she defeat 3 Flashes in seconds?? Anyway, it was sorta cool and shocking to see Superman punch off half of Batman's face...and it looks really good. Just not one of the most interesting arcs in a series that has had few misses as of late.

This has not been a great arc, but putting aside the premise where Poison Ivy can control the whole world, and all the super beings (including aliens) on it with relative ease, I was pretty down with the issue until the end, where there is a surprise last minute revelation and Ivy is redeemed, so...yay. Seems kinda phoney, and kind of negates the seriousness of Ivy's suffering, I think. Hmm...what else? I guess Harley and Ivy are an item....I never knew, but all right, that's fine. This seems like a harsh review for an 8.0, but Tom King's excellence has established a precident. It doesn't have the same impact King's best Batman issues have. But its really good filler. Great looking art throughout makes the whole thing a lot more palatable.

This issue is pretty ridiculous, but I had fun with it anyway. The ending surprised me and actually made me laugh because it was so unexpected; the Catwoman in this universe is apparently, if not mute, unable (or unwilling) to utter anything besides "Meow." The mystery of the Batman that showed up interests me, as did the world of adult Bruce alive in a world where his parents never died. It's tragic/hilarious that Booster Gold's plan goes where it does. So, I know it's silly and definitely not perfect, but I really liked it and I am wondering where it will go next.

Wow, this issue is receiving a violent reaction from the fans here...I thought it was pretty good. First--yeah, it's a bit of a sham that the wedding doesn't even happen. Yeah, it was a bit of a letdown, and the idea that Catwoman steps away because Batman needs his misery to be who he is kind of shitty. But maybe that's true? Anyway, the art was absolutely great, with several pages that could be framed on the wall. The page where Bruce asks Alfred to be his best man (or whatever) was great...I don't really think people want to read the adventures of married Batman, if it would have gone down that way...I was entertained, loved a lot of the pin-up pics, and am gonna keep reading so...yup, I pretty much liked it.

I am conflicted... The conceit of having Hot Dog emcee this comic doesn't work for me, and I don't like being so annoyed by Betty Cooper... but the art is incredible and I can't wait for the next issue...Waugh!

Good issue of “Black Hammer: Age of Doom” in which we see some of the subplots that have been ambling along pick up momentum. Dean Ormston’s art is great here, with one really cool visual nod, and a creepily exciting final page.

I was somewhat confused for much of this issue, but I think it rounds into shape; I'm new to Valiant, so even reading the synopsis of previous events in the opening two pages was dizzying, but I get enough to feel the connection between Bloodshot and Kay. It felt like a weird detour at times, but I've got a better sense of the characters heading into the conclusion.

This series continues to be pretty damn good, though I feel it to be the least effective of the 7 issues (this series and last) so far. I loved the first half of the book with Achillia; it, and she, are awesome. So, when it comes to the Detectioner going on the hunt to find his boy, I was less interested. The statue of Apollo come to life struck a bit incredulous, which is weird, since this book is filled with the wyrd. That being said, I am looking forward to the next issue, and many beyond that; I just think Achillia is too interesting a character to be shelved.

This is silly, but fun

I see that this arc is getting little love from fans or critics, but I enjoyed this kind of "Elseworlds" story. I was captivated by pretty much the whole arc, and this issue is a fittingly good ending. Leonardo Romero's art is a good fit for this story, and while it may not "matter" because there's no Steve Rogers, how much do most individual issues or plotlines of a comic series matter anyway? I liked this.

I enjoyed this issue as a close-up of Misty Night. Her narration and the look at her past was fun. It would have been better had she faced a real threat instead of the cheesy Slug with his silly ploy to exploit women; Misty is painted as a real badass, but Spencer throws her at a third-rate foe. I did enjoy the glimpse of Rosario Dawson/Claire.

This is a pivotal part to the main plot of "Secret Empire," so perhaps that is where this story should have taken place, as the tides are finally starting to turn. A good read with good art.

Continues to raise the stakes of Cap's villainy. Jesus Saiz makes it look great. The dark intrigue is building to a boil before "Secret Empire" begins.

I liked the focus on Zemo here...his scenes questioning Bob in the apartment are well done. The art here is a good fill in for Jesus Saiz...Ted Brandt and Ro Stein give this book a nice look. Relentlessly, we march towards "Secret Empire," but this issue of the series was one of the better ones.

Each issue of this book threatens redundancy by only being a lead up to "Secret Empire," but this issue was intriguing nonetheless, as Hydra's forces consolidate. An interesting ending has me looking forward to the next issue.

This was an interesting, fast-paced issue, with some powerful moments (Cave confronts the corpse, Mad Dog almost turns his gun on himself). It is visually interesting, as with the scene when one character has her head swiftly removed from her body. I must say, though, that I am not really sure what is going on with the ending, and the...milking? Yeah. So...

Well, this was pretty good, my favourite "Champions" in a few issues. I liked the cab ride with Viv and the driver, and the Red Locust was entertaining enough, though I thought of "Kick Ass" for some reason. I kind of groaned when I saw that she will probably join the team as a permanent member, but, okay, whatever.

This issue uses a situation from "Secret Empire" to plunge the Champions (or 3 of them) into action; it turns out to be an okay issue, as they find their youthful optimism regarding the freeing of refugees disrupted by the complexities of the situation. It turns out to be a solid issue of a series that can be infuriatingly inconsistent.

I really liked this series, for the most part, and this issue is no exception. It does feel like everything wrapped a little too quickly, something having more to do with the business of comics I think than Gail Simone's plan for the series. Anyway, I found the character of Astrid the most interesting part in this series, and she shines in defeating the demons here. I like the ending of the novel, and even though the overall story didn't play out in as much depth as I expected, it's good enough.

This book is fuckin' creepy, man. It is a little bit unsettling in its weirdness, which is good thing for a horror book, I think.

Solid issue keeps the murder mystery interesting. The art distracted me more here than in the first issue, but I'm sticking with this to see how it goes for sure. I also want to find out the full story on our protagonist, Caruso.

This issue is a road trip story, but lacks the insane action the road trip in issues of #4-5 of the book. Granted, there is no acid, but still. The arguing about race and power dragged a bit for me--generally interesting, but it feels like Remender's done the exact same thing already. This is still a good comic, it just doesn't hit the lofty heights most issues of "Deadly Class" do.

This is an exciting, action-packed, violent issue, and is a really good read; I still tend to like the slower, more character-based issues more, but I know this series will continue to deliver top line action along with some of the most interesting, funny characterization because of the creative team--Remender and Craig never seem to go wrong.

I don't regularly collect "Deadpool" because I find it to be wildly inconsistent, and I usually get my fill of the character from "Uncanny Avengers" and "Spider-Man/Deadpool." But I picked this up because I am fascinated with the world of Steve Rogers and the build up to "Secret Empire." And as a prelude to that, this issue delivers. I am still shocked when Cap behaves immorally, but this issue shows that the Hydra version will do whatever it takes to protect his agenda. Deadpool is almost the 3rd most important character here, after Rogers and Phil Coulson, who provides a good turn, especially at the end. The art was not quite up to standards, but Gerry Dugan's plot carried the weight.

"Deathbed" #3 is a well-paced, funny tale in the life of Antonio Luna...the scene where the nature of his cult followers is revealed is well done, and the character remains likeable in his arrogant self-centredness...I haven't really been a fan of Rosmo's art before, but this perfectly fits, and helps create, the mood and tone of the book. Good stuff.

“Deathbed” continues to be fun and entertaining, with really interesting visuals and a charmingly arrogant protagonist. Great read!

The mystery deepens as we explore the backgrounds of Q and Lily in greater detail, unearthing the conflict between them and their relationship with Mia's father. The pace of this series is undeniably slow, but I enjoyed this instalment.

The story doesn't really move forward, but I liked the character moments here, especially the background of Mia's tragic mother.

This series is kind of frustrating in its inconsistency, as it sometimes becomes burdensome due to its often sluggish pace. This issue was a good one one, though, with driller back in action and an ending that suggests an exiting next issue. It is, as always, beautiful to look at.

This issue of "Descender" is interesting enough, functioning as a stand alone story of sorts, but one that will provide illumination for the series as a whole, It's a good read, but the standout is the jaw-dropping watercolour art of Dustin Nguyen. This is breathtaking stuff, one of the best looking issues of the series so far.

The art changes are somewhat jarring, but I am growing more interested in Batman's supporting cast. If someone told me I would enjoy a "Detective Comics" that puts the Dark Knight in the background I wouldn't have believed it, but...

A solid conclusion to the "League of Shadows" story arc. The standout for me was the Marcio Takara art, which looks great and fits the mood of the book well, in my opinion.

I enjoyed this one-shot "Divinity III" tie-in, featuring X-O Manowar and Kostiy's Soviet-world origins...another interesting glimpse into the Stalinverse.

Issue #2 of "Doctor Star and the Kingdom of Lost Tomorrows" is a good read, though it is steeped in tragedy. Star is confronting the cost of his life of space adventuring, his loved ones left behind, thinking he had gone forever. Lemire lays the "Cats in the Cradle" stuff on a bit thick early, and the art seemed a bit...off, occasionally...but this is still plenty worth reading.

This series remains pretty fun and interesting, despite some heaviness in the character of Doctor Star and his family's sense of his betrayal. I liked the part where The Green Lan--sorry, Star Sheriff Squadron shows up and it is revealed how Star has shaped their entire society. I think this is only 4 issues (?) but I look forward to seeing how Lemire wraps this up.

The last issue left me unmoved, as It seemingly offered little that seemed new or different. But writer Mark Waid steps it up here with a much more interesting an issue, one defined by character interaction over heavy 3rd-person narration (still there, not as all-present as last issue though). I liked Talla (I think that’s it) as a companion for Stephen on his journey through space. This fun well-paced issue has definitely got me coming back for more after I was really uncertain about issue #1.

This strange series continues to be interesting, but I think the question of what happened to Boone in real life (and what there is real and what's not) is more intriguing than the fantasy world he travels to.

I dropped "The Flash" after about 10 issues, frustrated by the inconsistencies in having various artists. But I picked it up for "The Button" and, seeing Di Giandomenico was back on for this issue, decided to stick. It's pretty good. I really enjoyed the opening sequence with the hall of Flashes, which was pretty cool. It slows down a bit as Barry remains lost in thought about recent events, but picks up and builds to an exciting ending that ensures I'm staying on board. I don't like Williamson's writing for DC quite as much as I did "Nailbiter," but when he and Di GIandomenico are together, it's hard to miss. I'm sticking with it.

"The Button" brought me back on board with "The Flash," and I'm glad to be back. This issue was really good, and felt really high stakes, the prelude to a big Flash storyline. I love Di Giandomenico's art on this character. Question: when Hal forms a bar and bottles and glasses with his ring for he and Flash to sit at, are real drinks created by his ring? Or is it all props?

This issue was a bit of a drop off for me, but it is still a great series and I'm sure it will pick up. I just think the first storyline is dragging on too long. And I don't see how this is the start of a new arc...anyone picking this up as a jump-on point will be clueless as to what's happening.

I liked "Gideon Falls" #1, but at the same time didn't love it like I thought I would. Sorrentino's art looks great, but I didn't always know what was going on in this book, be that attributed to the artist or the writer. The ending was intriguing, and I'm sure Lemire will answer the questions this issue raises in cool ways, so I'm totally down with this series. I just think, with this creative team, greater things are to come.

This series is on a bit of a slow burn, and I hope the ideas about celebrity go a bit deeper, but I enjoyed this issue.

Intriguing twist in this issue shakes things up, leaving me excited for what comes next...

This series has been a great read so far; this issue is mainly action and fighting dragons, which is all good, but not quite as good as the character-driven moments for me. Still, it's amusing to see our courageous (for the most part) heroes battle the evil wizard/dick from the future with technology. Looking forward to the next one.

A more action-driven episode, natural given that it is the penultimate issue. It's really good, and sets us up for an epic conclusion. This series has been a treat, and I am very excited to see how Landis and Camuncoli wrap this up.

Good issue, great Tyler Crook art.

In the early pages, I was very sceptical about the art style of Ricardo Lopez Ortiz, but before long I had fallen for his work here, sketchy, rough, cartoony. The story worked well enough.

I liked this issue. Jen's new client suggests an interesting story to come, and I absolutely loved Nico Leon's art here. The pace is slow, as Jen doesn't actually become Hulk here, and I'm okay with that. I guess what feels weird is that this fragile, damaged version of Jen is unlike any other iteration of her I've read. Like the opposite. Exploring PTSD with a comic character is an interesting idea, given the trauma many of these heroes go through, and perhaps having it affect Jen, so normally gregarious, underlines its damage. So it may feel a bit out of place, but I am definitely on board and excited to see where the series leads.

This series may be on a bit too slow of a burn, but I'm enjoying it nonetheless. Suspense is building as to just how Jen will behave when she finally does hulk out. Nico Leon's pencils are great here, kind of reminding me of Adrian Alphona's Ms. Marvel work. The book looks really sharp.

The story continues to burn slowly, but I didn't mind this issue. It digs deeper into what is going on with Maise and offers the promise that next issue, Jen shall surely hulk out. And I'm loving this Nico Leon art.

"I Hate Fairyland" is always fun, and this month we get a Duncan Dragon-centred issue. It's all good here--but Skottie has created what looks like the most fearsome foe yet in the series. I'm interested to see Gert and this new baddie interact.

This is a set up issue, but it is a good one. We join Duncan Dragon as he recruits the hard-living Larry to find Gert. Looks great, fun read.

This issue of "Immortal Hulk" is a bit different than the last two...it features a cast of rotating artists, which I found slightly jarring, though I can't say I disliked any particular section. There was just some art that, stylistically, I didn't envision seeing in a Marvel comic book. The artist for the bartender section has a real indie feel. It certainly isn't bad, but it was unexpected, and the differences between the art styles kind of distracts. All said, I did like this, I did find it interesting. Just not quite as captivating as the first two issues.

I liked this issue--and am looking forward to the Doom/Thing confrontation--but the overall storyline is kind of plodding so far. I hope the pacing picks up next issue with our adversaries face to face.

Continues to be strong in characterization and art, though the story seems a bit plodding. But when the first two of these elements are done so well, I'm not complaining that much. The Johnny/Ben Grimm interaction was great, and makes me long for a return of the Fantastic Four by Bendis.

Not sure what to make of this series, but I liked the prequel issues, and, whattaya know, it was pretty fun! Kuder's art is great, and it's a fun little reunion with he and the Guardians, coming after a pretty fine run on the belated "All-New Guardians of the Galaxy." These things can be a slog of too many characters, so I like that Duggan chose to focus on a relatively small cast. I'll be back for more next month!

Strangely enough, I continue to enjoy this prelude to an event miniseries--fun, exciting, interesting writing and art, Guardians of the Galaxy fix, cool new ideas in every issue. I like it a lot!

The Inhumans intrigued me since way back when Paul Jenkins and Jae Lee did the awesome 12-issue limited series. But they've underwhelmed me since. Lately, with the battles with the X-Men and the endless stream of Nuhumans, I've grown to downright dislike them. But, since this deals with the original, core members, I thought I'd check it out. And it's pretty good. An interesting start to the series, a refreshing break from the nonsense that started with Marvel trying to force them down our throats, and awesome Phil Noto art, which makes it worth looking at alone.

While these kind of epic battles can get long and drawn out, this issue is just fine as a set-up to further mayhem and action as the stakes continue to rise. "Invincible" has been a great series for a long time, and looks to finish strong if this issue is any indication.

This is an all-battle issue, with some really strong art by Ryan Ottley. And there are casualties. The stakes seem to be getting higher and higher as we approach the end.

Good issue, even though not much happens...the art is stellar, and Riri is a likeable character so far. I did raise a cynical eye at the editor asking where the Riri cosplay pics were, for this character in her second issue who we are just getting to know. Marvel really wants Riri-mania to happen, it's clear, but need to just let the character evolve, not force the issue...

Good issue, but I didn't like it as much as the previous issues. First, the selfie cover reminds me of the Oscar Awards selfie, and please, Marvel, don't do that. I missed projection-Tony Stark, and this Inhuman villain was as bland and generic as every other Nuhuman...Nu-Inhuman...whatever. It still has knock out art and I thought the scene in the first half of the book with Riri's mom was well done.

This issue was enjoyable, if a bit heavy on Riri being gobsmacked to be in the position she is now because ohmygod. A big help in issues like this where not a lot happens is Stefano Caselli's art, which is just great, and always helps this title stand out.

This issue rounds out the whole Maria Hill mystery, in an issue that is above average largely for its art. Michael Gaydos does his usual outstanding job drawing Jessica in gritty, modern-day style, while Javier Pulido's clean lines draw us to the past with an early meeting between Hill and Nick Fury. The contrast works great in dividing the story's past/present. I have found this arc inconsistent and occasionally frustrating, but it ends on a higher note, with the ending revealing an explosive hint of what is coming.

This is a generally well done issue, even if nothing really happens. The killer ending leaves a strong impression, and has me thoroughly creeped out/pumped for the next issue.

It's been so long since the last issue that I forgot a lot of details that probably would have helped this issue stand out more, but Frank Quitely's art makes it good enough. Of course it is a great looking issue, and it has an optimistic ending. At some point I'll probably reread all five issues in a sitting, which will probably make this instalment stand out a little more.

I'm kind of surprised by how much I like the new "Kick-Ass," but Patience is a likeable character, and this brings the mix of humanity and brutal, crushing violence that the original series did so well. This is a fast, exciting read that leaves me wanting more. And what more do you want from a comic than that?

I liked this issue. Tense and interesting throughout. I thought this Solo dude made an interesting nemesis. He's kind of a cliche, but it's well played. JRJR's pencils were strong. Nothing too deep going on here, but a fun read.

This was not what I was expecting from this book, but it was an interesting read nonetheless. This issue has lost a bit of momentum in the last two issues, as we break away from Dylan's narrative, but I imagine this is to fill out the story and make it deeper, which is fine.

Rosenberg continues to explore the human side of the Kingpin, with a certain dark menace underlying his displays of humanity. A deeper look than we are used to. I liked it.

This series continues to be a lot of fun, in a soap opera-ish way, in the 2nd issue. The racing scenes are rendered with skill, and there is some good character work her with Domino and her old flame. It's not breaking ground, but I like it a lot.

This has been a fun and interesting series so far, and final issue of the first arc gets a little weirder and leaves more questions than answers about Domino's past, but I liked the twist at the ending. I'm on board when this resumes in August.

I'm not sure what this is yet, when it comes to story, but it is a fun and interesting read… Curious to see where it goes

The story moves forward here plotwise, to the effect of focussing on secondary characters and not giving us a good dose of Sam and Mike interaction. Sam's history of trauma is further fleshed out, but I kind of missed the more subtle character moments that have defined this series and made it a stand-out. Still good, but not "Motor Girl" at its best.

I'm enjoying the post-Civil War II Marvel landscape (mainly because the train wreck that was Civil War II is over) and this is no exception. I kind of enjoy Ms. Marvel in non world threatening situations, and I enjoyed this move in that direction. And Tekeshi Miyagawa is awesome on art.

As I opened this, I did so without a lot of excitement; with her (over) exposure in other Marvel comics lately, I just think I am starting to suffer from some Kamala Khan fatigue. But this issue was a good read. Wilson has been a bit heavy handed with the messages that seem to come part and parcel with Ms. Marvel stories lately, but the book's heart is in the right place, and Takeshi Miyagawa draws a hell of a comic, so much so that I almost don't miss Adrian Alphona. I kind of wish I could read it without feeling trapped in an after school special, but also realize that the book is reaching for younger readers to whom the messages may not seem so blunt. Overall, it's still enjoyable and still on my pull list.

Though not quite up to par with the first three, I enjoyed this issue, which allowed our characters a reprieve from danger (though the next issue is set up for danger here quite well). I enjoyed the dual date scenes with Rich and Sam. I felt like maybe Perez' art wasn't quite as sharp here, but it was a lighthearted issue that was fun to read.

It's interesting to see Logan's past relived here, and the art of Eric Nguyen is pretty awesome. Seems a bit slight, but still a good issue.

A quieter issue (well, it's still pretty damn violent), this explores the Maestro and his Hulks in closer detail. It's good at character building. However,Mike Deodato's art is the real draw here, as this issue looks fantastic.

“Paper Girls” Gets back on track here with a strong character issue… I have felt the story to be too convoluted at times, but this issue got me back into the story through the character interactions, which are, in my opinion, the strongest part of this book.

"Paper Girls" always is an entertaining read, and this issue is no different. This series is pretty fucking weird, but i am really invested the characters and their relationships with each other. Also, Cliff Chiang is just awesome. I fell in love with his work on "Wonder Woman" with Brian Azzarello, and he's just producing fantastic art every time. Read this.

This is a fun, light-hearted debut issue. It's clear Zdarsky will be bringing the jokes, but the story itself here is a bit...meh. Nevertheless, I liked the Ant-Man and Human Torch appearances and the Adam Kubert art is pretty sharp. Having dropped "Renew Your Vows," it's nice to get a second Peter Parker book.

This series hasn't been great for me, as I am a little tired of the tech based storyline and don't care about Theresa Parker or whoever she is, but this particular issue was a fun, nicely paced read. I liked the Adam Kubert art quite a bit here, as this is one of his better looking issues, and I was pleasantly surprised by the cool reveal at the issue's end. Nice cover too!

The key to this book from the beginning has been the friendship between Luke and Danny, and that's the aspect of "Power Man and Iron Fist" I'm going go miss the most. Anyone who hasn't followed this the whole way should check out the rest of the series. This creative team even made "Civil War II" crossover issues relevant and intriguing!

This was a really solid issue that opens with a pretty cool action scene, leading to a pretty viable premise for Frank to get the War Machine armour. The art is alright, and the cover by Clayton Crain. I'm up for this if it lasts for an arc or something as opposed to being the new normal, but I liked it and am on board next issue.

This series continues to be good fun, but the first couple of issues raised some ideas that haven't really been worked or developed in the intriguing fashion I thought possible. Instead, it's a very well drawn book with a pretty good story. I like it but I'm not married to it.

This is a creepy series. The conversation between Bennett and the mysterious (but now revealed) Grandpa was great horror, as Grandpa's state of being somehow makes him seem all the more threatening. I sometimes get confused about who's who in terms of the characters, but I still enjoyed this issue and am looking forward to the next.

Important revelations come with this issue of “Redneck,” a story of family, trust, and betrayal. Things will never be the same for Perry, even as she continues to grow more and more powerful.

"Redneck" #8 is an action packed issue, a tense and fast-paced spree of violence in the culminating moments of the second arc. The art is great here, even if I continued to have the problem of differentiating between all the characters. That makes something like the key death that happens here a bit less impactful to me. That could be on me as a reader or it could be on the storytellers. Maybe both. Anyway, my slight confusion didn't keep me from enjoying the issue overall. Maybe "Redneck" is one of those books that reads better in trade, but I'm enjoying the singles enough to keep picking this up when it returns from its hiatus in a few months.

Looks great with Mitten's artwork, with strong atmosphere and characterization by Roberson, but the story doesn't advance much...

The penultimate issue of this hobo epic features a large-scale hobo free-for-all brawl, as Jackson gets a little help from his friends to face the bulls...and the devil! This has been a fun ride.

Another ghostly issue about aging, and the inevitability of seeing the dreams of our youth, our youthful selves, ebb away. The characterization is strong and Lemire's art is fantastic.

Tommy and his dad do the ghost of Christmas present thing, checking in on each member of the Pike family, looking at where they are now. Perhaps because we only spend about 2 pages or so with each family member, this issue seems a bit more slight than the others, but it is still an intriguing story with great art.

Not much actually happens here, but this issue does a good job establishing a melancholy mood, coming from our knowledge of Tommy's destiny.

In an odd turn, issue #9 of "Royal City" ends with a character's earning a victory of sorts, not the stuff a reader usually finds in this series of memory and regret. Strong characterization and art, as usual, make this a good read.

I thought this was a somewhat ho-hum addition to "Saga"--which, by its own standards, still means pretty good--but the last few pages and ending were very effective and intriguing, rescuing what was one of the lesser instalments of a stellar series.

This issue seems a bit light, especially after the kind of arc ending's we've gotten lately. It has a nice tale with Ghus and Robot's kid looking for some creature, and their conversation is fairly interesting. Looks great, and has some nice family moments, but a bit slight.

Well, it can't be denied that this series is a shit-show. I still don't really understand the motivations behind anyone being on the side they are, and A.I. Tony just acting like a normal dude, leading the defiance, really, still irritates me. But I love an old-school Avengers dinner scene where the sparks fly! This was weird, but I liked Ultron/Pym here. Lienil Yu's art wasn't quite up to his usual standards, but it was still plenty good. For a book with so much stuff going on, at least I was entertained.

This was an interesting outing. I was a bit jarred by James Harren's art at first, but ended up enjoying it. Good suspenseful read.

Intriguing story. A bit of a slow burn, but definitely interesting.

Things continue to fall apart in this arc, as Jon and Susie can't find ground to stand on. A solid issue in which Zdarsky's art does more of the storytelling than Fraction's words.

It turns out this book is really more interesting for its character stories than the outrageous sex bits that made it famous--the scene with Suzie looking at her mother's attempt to recreate the past in this new house, and her striving to connect with her lost father is really good. And there is the sense that both of these souls, Jon and Suzie, are ultimately lost without each other. And I liked the scene with the dude with the beard (yeah, sorry, forget the name) is left behind by his lover, only for the ghost of another woman to appear at his side. This is pretty good.

This is a good conclusion to the first arc of the story. "Shade the Changing Girl" has been an unexpected but very welcome surprise for me; I'm interested to see where the story goes next, now that Megan is not exactly gone, but probably in the background for a bit. Marley Zarcone's art has been a joy in this series, but seems a bit rushed this issue, like she had to scale things back a bit to keep up with the deadline. Regardless, it still is fun and interesting, a comic that is always near the top of my read pile when it comes out.

A fun little story (ha!) with a hint of menace at the end.

"Southern Bastards" #20 is a pretty riveting issue, and is pretty hard core with violent action. However, the story's resolution felt a bit off to me--it didn't really seem to work with Roberta's story arc so far. Her decision seems to serve the progression of the overall story, and doesn't really give her rage justice. Of course more awesome "Southern Bastards" issues lay ahead, but the close of this arc for me is really good rather than great, and great is kind of where they've set the bar.

Things get fucking weird here, but I'm glad I stayed on this title...I want to see what happens next.

This issue is carried by the chemistry between Gwen and Miles, and Robbi Rodriquez' art. The character moments here are well done, as we see Gwen's loneliness alleviated by having Miles there. I'm not a fan of the Spider-Gwen universe, but this was a good book.

Good issue, with Bazaldua doing a pretty good job with pencils (though the Pat Brown cover is not at all to my liking). I like the character moments, but Black Cat continues to be underwhelming as the crime boss of NYC.

Good issue with an ending leaving me anxious to read the next... like any comic where the artist is trying to mimic the faces of actors, the art occasionally comes off a little wonky, for the overall look is good and this is a fun comic.

This issue is a pleasing turnaround from the last arc, which left me on the verge of dropping this title. I enjoyed C3PO spilling the beans on all his "exploits" in the opening pages and I found the introduction to the Yoda story amusing as well. And the art is a serious upgrade.

I enjoyed this issue. The mystery of the blue rock in the story had me interested, and I feel like I haven't spent time with Yoda in a long time. Though there's no way he lets himself be taken captive. Anyway, the art, for the most part, was crisp and strong, and this continues to be a nice change from the last arc, which I really found annoying.

This doesn't quite have the pacing and charm of "The Screaming Citadel Part 1," but it is an interesting entry nonetheless. Aaron's writing doesn't seem to have quite the zest Gillen's did on the one-shot. The art is solid; a few blatant examples of photoshopping, but the book generally comes across correct.

Good standalone story. The discussion of Alderaan was interesting, dealt with in a way I haven't seen before.

A fun issue introducing a whole different cast of seedy space characters. A good read, with strong Kev Walker art.

I fell off this series for a bit, but was entertained coming back for this issue, a very solid start to the new arc. Phil Noto's pencils are less painterly here than they sometimes are, but still look great.

This was a good, fun issue. Zdarsky gives Peter Quill heart to go alongside his selfishness, and the scenes in the bar are amusing.

This is another strong entry in this series, though the Black Cat grates as a villain. I can't quite buy her as boss of the NYC mob, and I can't quite buy Star-Lord, Logan, and Daredevil combined not being up to the task of taking her down. Anyway, this issue continues to hit the right humorous and touching notes. It's been fun and I am looking forward to see how it resolves next issue.

Very good conclusion to what was a fun 3-issue arc.

Entertaining one-shot. I enjoyed seeing Swamp Thing again, and found this depiction of his powers interesting. And, dare I say, I enjoyed the break from Superboy. Good comic.

Damian remains a frustratingly inconsistent character, but I enjoyed the "Breakfast Club" style bonding and character building here. I'm sticking around to see what happens.

Good comic. Thanos' brutality is on display here and I enjoyed the appearances of Starfox and Death. I'm on board.

Another good issue, though I didn't like it as much as the last. This is an interesting cast of characters, and I'm not sure where things are going with the Phoenix egg. Also, reading Lemire's final Marvel work is bittersweet, because they are losing what is likely their strongest writer very soon. Ah, cruel fate!

Good issue. This series has picked up since a somewhat disappointing second arc. I like detective Foster and Vaughn. It's never as good when not drawn by Jeremy Haun, but Thomas Nachlik does a solid job on pencils.

This is essentially a character driven detective comic, as the community of beauties is under threat from one or more mysterious killers. This arc continues strong.

Dark, weird, eerily creepy book. It's a one-shot, but it felt a bit like part one of something. But any one-shot that leaves the reader wanting more has done its job.

The two Black Hood series in the last couple of years have been criminally underrated, perhaps due to being released on Dark Circle, Archie's crime comic label. In this issue, things happen a bit too fast to conclude the story, but it is quality nonetheless. I have enjoyed Swierczynski's dark stories, and Greg Scott's pencils here, and hope this isn't the last time we get to see Black Hood.

No, this is not a full conclusion. We have yet to see the fallout of all this. I don't know how Ben Reilly can be brought back. But this issue gave a final glimpse at some great Jim Cheung art, and I thought the story, though unspectacular, did what it had to do. It also gives a hint at how Spidey may return to his more down-to-earth roots with the sacrifice of all the webware on the planet. It was definitely an over-the-top event, a horror story really at it's roots, and I have to say I enjoyed this series as a whole. And now we get Stuart Immonen!

I enjoyed this issue for the most part. In all, there is not a lot to the story so far, despite the extra pages, but I am intrigued enough to continue. The art style was different and I liked it a lot, though I did get lost in the action somewhat. Good first issue.

Really fun book so far.

I'm not a magic guy, I've never read a Harry Potter book or watched a Harry Potter movie, but this enticed me due to the creative team. And it was pretty cool! The opening is devastating and awesome. Magic is employed in an interesting way. And the Olivier Coipel art looked great. I'll keep reading this.

There are elements to "Man of Steel" that I really liked. What first caught my attention was the way Bendis created a credible and understandable conflict in just the opening couple of pages, and then I next was really thrilled by the page where Superman catches a stray song in his and tries to focus on it, only before it is drowned out by the screams for help in Metropolis. It shows his fantastic powers and humanizes him at the same time. Perhaps this is just a small sample of the kind of writing Bendis can bring to the character.nIvan Ries' art was great. I'm pleasantly surprised here. I felt that Bendis generally went down with a thud at Marvel, but I'm excited to read more!

I liked this issue of "Man of Steel," a powerful, action-packed, fast-paced issue that also packs an emotional punch as key parts of Superman's history and heritage are destroyed. This Rogol Zaar dude is kind of plagued by 1990s design, but Bendis certainly does a nice job of establishing him as a threat, if not a unique, distinct character. And Ryan Sook's art was really cool. I don't know how much of him I've seen before, but I'll keep an eye out for him now.